Havant and Waterlooville 2-1 FC Halifax Town: Individual errors cost us both goals, says Fullarton

The Shaymen failed to build on a decent first-half on the south coast and conceded two avoidable goals, before Niall Maher got one back and Havant’s Will Wood was sent-off.

The result extended Town’s winless league run to 12 games.

“It’s difficult to win a game when we gave away two goals like we did in the second-half,” said Fullarton.

“First-half, without being exceptional, I thought we were quite in control of the game, under no pressure whatsoever.

“And then it’s two mistakes that cost you two goals. You can’t legislate for two individual errors, that then mean you’re trying to chase a game.

“Then we revert to a bit of blind pressure to try and get back in.

“Whilst it might be a spirited attempt, it’s left us with no points because of individual errors that have cost us two goals.”

Fullarton was encouraged by his side’s opening 45 minutes, but disappointed with what followed.

“First-half, we were competent, comfortable, showed signs, created two chances where we should be doing better, and a few flurries from set-pieces,” he said.

“But in the first four or five minutes of the second-half, when you give away a goal like we did, it gives a team at home, who are fighting every week to gain points, something to hold onto.

“And then the second one means it’s an uphill battle.”

Fullarton also said his side failed to right the wrongs of the two goals they conceded.

“It’s a team game, and ultimately two individual errors have cost us goals,” he said.

“But it’s not the individual - it’s the team that carries that, and that’s what being part of a team is, in other areas can we help team members out when they make mistakes, and there’s many shapes or forms of that, whether you stop the goal or create and score a goal, and we didn’t do that.”

Havant scored from their only two shots on target, but Fullarton read little into that statistic.

“I’m not going to hide my disappointment because individual errors have cost us, in a game where it’s been two shots at goal and two goals, if you can call the first one a shot,” he said.

“But afterwards in the press it doesn’t read ‘competent, comfortable, should maybe have got something from the game’, it just reads ‘2-1’.

“So therefore I cannot hide my disappointment because of the manner we’ve lost the game.”

When asked if his game-plan went out of the window having conceded so early in the second-half, Fullarton said: “No because the principles don’t change. You’re still looking to apply them, but you’re looking to apply them better.

“People talk about being brave, and aspects like that. Bravery is a mentality.

“And you’re looking for them to believe in what you do, and just do it a bit better.

“We didn’t, hence why we’ve lost the game.”

Halifax’s last league win came against Gateshead on August 27, since when they have drawn seven and lost five in the National League, leaving them 16th in the table.

When asked how he assessed the situation, the Town boss said: “Expectation has got to be realistic of where we’re at.

“We want to improve on where we were last year, and we want to be better than we were last year, which at this stage we probably are.

“So that’s how I assess it. That doesn’t mean that I’m ever happy with not striving to overachieve.

“But it’s games like this where we must come away with something.

“Whether we merit it in general play or not, losing two goals like we did meant we came away with nothing, it’s as simple as that.

“You can’t legislate for individual errors. What you’re looking for, in a team game, is for the others to group together and make sure they try and negate those individual errors by doing something, whether it be creating or scoring to make sure we go away with something, and we didn’t do that.”

Town’s winless run has come after they won five of their first seven matches, which helped Fullarton win the manager of the month award in August.

“Ultimately, you’ve got to appreciate where we are,” Fullarton said.

“There’s a direct correlation between budget and where you are in the league. And that’s in the National League and every other league, that’s a fact.

“So whilst you refer to expectation, even when we were sitting top after winning five out of seven, my manner and the way I was, was the same as it is now, where we’re not.

“Have we shown signs we can compete with the best teams in this league, and perform in a way that’s enjoyable to be part of and watch? Yes we have.

“We’ve also shown signs that when we miss players and we’re deep into our squad, it’s difficult at times. And injuries have hit us hard to key, important players missing for a length of time.

“But that’s the reality of football. It gives other people opportunities, but they’ve got to take that opportunity.

“Hopefully that start encouraged fans to get behind us and be part of it, but we’re looking to continue with that and be the best we can, win as many games as we can. That’s still the aim.”

When asked if he felt Town’s next league win was close, Fullarton said: “I don’t like referring to feelings. I’m more analytic than that in terms of your behaviours, and what we do, then getting consistent outcomes.

“You need certain things going your way but it’s about what we do, every day, to make sure we don’t find ourselves in this position.

“It’s that ‘would have, could have, should have’. They might only have had two shots on goal, but we still lost 2-1.

“I wouldn’t mind having one shot on goal and winning 1-0.”

On his frustration at individual errors costing his side a result, Fullarton added: “I don’t think it’s just me as manager, I think it’s everyone involved, whether it’s staff, players and definitely the fans.

“You see the fans that were here, they were fantastic, in good voice, even afterwards when the players were clapping them, their reaction was positive.

“It’s probably more positive that I am at the moment, because we’ve come to a game we’re looking to win, and follow on from Tuesday, and we haven’t.

“The reasons can be frustrating, but that’s just an aspect of why we’re walking away with no points.

“There’s other areas, where errors cost you, that you’re looking for other members of the team, to get you out of that, and we didn’t do that.”