FC Halifax Town: "We've just got to get back to being us" says Wild ahead of Wealdstone clash

The Shaymen are aiming to bounce back from losing 2-0 to Kidderminster in the second round of the FA Cup on Sunday, a game in which they produced arguably their worst performance of the season.

"We just need to get back to us," Wild said.

"We sat down with the players and discussed some of the trends in recent weeks with some of the goals we've conceded, and how we need to be better in possession.

"If you look at the (previous) game, we had 64 per cent possession but they (Kidderminster) got what they wanted in the game.

"We need to start better and not give teams chance to bed in and survive.

"I think we've got clear identity, it's there for everybody to see. If people don't know what 'us' is, I'd be very disappointed.

"Get back to dominating the football, get back to being on the front-foot out of possession and not giving teams the chance to start, dropping on second balls better, everything that we've been doing for most of the season.

"Unfortunately we weren't for the first 20 minutes on Sunday and that's why we got what we deserved."

Wild is philosophical about Sunday's defeat, which hasn't affected his belief in his team, who have performed superbly so far this season to be sitting just three points off top spot in the National League.

"We've got an excellent squad, good characters in there," Wild said.

"The reality is you're going to lose football matches, unless you're Man City or Liverpool, you're guaranteed to lose football matches at some point.

"Unfortunately ours came in arguably one of the bigger games this season.

"I have no doubt in the team's ability and no doubt in what the team can do, and we've just got to keep going.

"There'll be bumps in the road, this is a bump in the road and we've got to keep going.

"It's not 'oh my god', we've just got to get back to being us and we'll do that on Saturday.

"You can catastrophise situations, and it's not a catastrophe by any shape or form.

"It's a loss, we're still fifth in the league and three points off top of the league, so we're still having an excellent season.

"The people that have got us there, you're tempted to rip the team up and start again? I won't be doing that.

"I'll maybe make a couple of changes, I'll see how I feel and see how players react and we'll decide from there, but I certainly won't be ripping it up and starting again, that's for sure."

Wealdstone are 17th in the National League having won just five of their first 18 matches this season.

They come into the game having lost back-to-back games, having previously won three of their last four.

"They're all big tests, we want to go and impose ourselves on them and not let them impose themselves on us," Wild said.

"If we do that, we give ourselves a chance but this isn't a formality this one, this Wealdstone team, I've been really impressed with them.

"Having started watching Wealdstone, they're a much-improved side, they certainly want to get the ball down and play.

"in the last four league games, Wrexham away, Dover away, Stockport at home and then Bromley away, I think they've acquitted themselves very, very well, and like I say, they're much-improved.

"I think they've got a lot of threats so it looks like it'll be a good football match."

Wild says Jamie Allen probably won't be fit for the game, but could be in contention for the FA Trophy game at Bradford Park Avenue next Saturday.

"We'd like to think so, he's now not getting the same pain he was with the movement exercises he's been given, so we're hopeful he'll be back out running and see if the pain has subsided."

On loanee Jamie Cooke, Wild said: "Jamie's back with us for now, we'll assess it, we've got a busy period coming up.

"We'll assess how he does in the next couple of weeks then make a decision whether he stays around it or he needs to go and get some more games."

Striker Gerry McDonagh has had his loan spell at Kettering extended for another month.

"Gerry's getting games, the one thing he needs after such a long time out is games," Wild said.

"We can call him back when we want, he's had his 28 days when I can't call him back, so while he's playing games there we've got to leave him there and keep him playing games and when we need him, we'll bring him back."

And on winger Dom Tear, who is on loan at Buxton, Wild said: "Dom's contract's up in January so we need to have a sit down with Dom and discuss what we do."