Chesterfield 1-0 FC Halifax Town: We’re bitterly disappointed, says Hughes after Chesterfield loss

Town’s assistant manager Phil Hughes said The Shaymen were “bitterly disappointed” after losing 1-0 at Chesterfield, a result which saw the gap from Halifax to the bottom four reduced to two points.
Actions from FC Halifax Town v Dover Athletic at the Shay. Jamie Fullarton and Phil HughesActions from FC Halifax Town v Dover Athletic at the Shay. Jamie Fullarton and Phil Hughes
Actions from FC Halifax Town v Dover Athletic at the Shay. Jamie Fullarton and Phil Hughes

Ex-Town striker Scott Boden’s penalty on his first appearance since rejoining The Spireites clinched the result for the hosts, lifting them out of the drop zone, while Halifax remain in 16th.

Hughes, who handled the post-match media duties in place of manager Jamie Fullarton, said: “It’s a hard result to take. In the first-half it was a tight game.

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“Second-half, I thought it was a penalty. It looked a penalty from where we were.

“Thereafter we tried to get back on level terms.

“But in fairness to us, if that was a penalty then ours is a penalty on Matty Kosylo.

“He got in the box, a clear opportunity to cross with three or four players in the box, and he got pulled back as well.

“But overall, it wasn’t our best performance of the season by a long stretch. But I didn’t think we deserved to lose the game overall.”

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It is now six hours since Halifax last found the net, while they have not scored in five of their last six games.

“We didn’t have many chances, it was a difficult game. Both teams worked extremely hard against the ball, but there weren’t a lot of clear cut chances for us.”

When asked how Town’s lack of goals can be addressed, Hughes said: “I’ve said previously that we work extremely hard during the week on finishing, shapes to get into finishing positions, and I think in due course the chances will come, and we’ll get on the scoresheet.”

On the fact that the gap to the relegation zone had been closed with the result, Hughes said: “We have an important period of time coming up. Over the next three games we’ve got teams in and around the bottom to play.

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“But like previous occasions when we’ve had these set of games coming up, we always tend to do well and pick up points when it matters, and I think that’s the case.

“We need to take each game as it comes, but we’ll be fully focused on the Aldershot game.

“It’ll be a tough game but we’re under no illusions of what we need to do, starting next Saturday against Aldershot.”

On the mood on the dressing room after the defeat, Hughes added: “Clearly we’re all bitterly disappointed. Ultimately, we’re all trying to get to the same point where we’re winning games, we don’t want to be losing.

“That’s happened and that’s going to have a disappointing effect on everybody.

“But come the start of next week again, it’s all focused on Aldershot.”