Fylde 2-0 FC Halifax Town: We didn't meet the standards we've set, says Fullarton

Second-half goals from Johnny Smith and James Hardy were enough to condemn Town to their first defeat since Fullarton took charge, with Halifax putting in a lacklustre display without registering a shot on target.

“We set our standards by how we’ve played and what we are. That’s what we have to live up to and we under-performed from where we’ve been,” Fullarton said.

“What’s important when you do under-perform is you make sure that what you come with is what you go home with, and we didn’t today.

“There’s definitely no complaints.

“Anybody watching the first 25 minutes will definitely have thought it’s not going to finish 0-0 - maybe 4-3! It was end-to-end with both sides showing intent to try and win the game.

“Once they scored it took the momentum out of our play and then they got the second.

“It’s a fair result.”

When asked why Town had under-performed, Fullarton replied: “You play 50 games a season and to be peaking at all times is difficult for any team.

“What I’ve said to the boys after the game is that when we have those games where we do under-perform, we make sure we stay in the game at all times and come away with something.

“I wouldn’t fault the players for application or attitude but as we progress we’re looking at working smarter, not just harder. That’s the key message from today.”

Fylde’s second goal came from Matty Brown’s header on the edge of the box before the Fylde man was given too much time to pick his spot from range.

“We’re disappointed with any goal we lose, even more so when it’s not great, intricate play or a devastating strike from distance,” Fullarton said of the goal.

“We go out to win the game so we’re disappointed with any manner of conceding a goal. When it’s from great by the opposition you have to put your hands up.

“The advantage of that is that when it’s not great play from the opposition it’s something we can work on to correct that.”

On the fact that Town didn’t produce a shot on target in the game, Fullarton said: “Always disappointing. We under-performed and under that umbrella we didn’t defend as well as we have done and we didn’t create anywhere what we have done in previous games.

“We’ve dropped below our standards that have been set.”

Town’s Matty Kosylo went off injured after only 11 minutes. Fullarton said it was too early to know the extent of Kosylo’s injury, but that it was his knee that was affected.

“Matty has done fantastic for us and making any substitution in the first-half after setting out your game-plan is disruptive,” he said.

“It’s the last thing we wanted to do but that gives someone else an opportunity to show what they can do and stay in the team, and it’s up to them to take that chance.”