FC Halifax Town: Stop them scoring, urges Heath ahead of Dagenham FA Cup clash

Halifax had kept four clean sheets in five games before conceding in each of their last three matches.

They shipped three in defeat to Brackley on Saturday - the first time they have let in more than one goal in a game since losing 3-2 at Gainsborough nearly two months ago.

When asked what the decisive factor could be in achieving a victory on Saturday, Heath replied: “Keeping a clean sheet. If we can do that we’re always capable of scoring.

“The pleasing thing at the minute is that we’re not just relying on our attackers to score.

“Jordan Sinnott has got seven, Alex Simmons has chipped in.

“That gives us a chance, and it would be very pleasing to go there and keep a clean sheet.”

It will be the first time Heath has managed a team in the first round of the FA Cup, after he came within a minute of reaching this stage with North Ferriby last season.

“We were 30 seconds away last year and then Bohan Dixon smashed one in from 35 yards for Stalybridge to equalise and then we lost the replay,” Heath recalled.

“Players want to play in the FA Cup. Liam King will be jumping off the walls because he’s never played in the first round proper.

“Sometimes it does get lost the further up the pyramid you go and it becomes a distraction for some teams.

“That can’t be right, but that’s the way it is nowadays.

“But we’re looking forward to it.

“If we can start right, get ourselves a foothold into the game, then I think we can cause an upset.”

Read more from Billy Heath in Friday’s Halifax Courier.