"I've never been involved in such a one-sided game and lost it," says Millington after Torquay defeat

The Shaymen dominated the match from start to finish, but couldn't get back on terms after Brett McGavin's goal just before half-time.

"I've never been involved in such a one-sided game and lost it," said Millington.

"It's the first time we've dominated a game so much and lost, and I don't ever remember drawing a game where we've played as well, and dominated like we did.

"There's no perfect performance and the thing that's let us down is one mistake in our box and not being clinical enough in their box.

"But I'd argue some of that was down to the performance of the Torquay goalkeeper, and some of it down to the last-ditch defending of people throwing their bodies on the line, which you expect.

"On another day we come away comfortable victors, but this is one of those occasions where the performance hasn't been rewarded with the result it deserved."

Halifax had 23 shots compared to Torquay's three, and ten corners compared to none for Torquay, but still ended up on the losing side.

"That's football, that's the nature of the business we're in," Millington said.

"It doesn't always give you what you deserve.

"There were a number of times last season when you could argue that we maybe came away with something and we hadn't quite earned it and today we're on the opposite end of that.

"The lads are devastated at not getting the result, but I asked them at the beginning of the day when we had our meeting to give a performance that was worthy of a victory and they've given us that, they've given a performance worthy of ten victories.

"But alas, we've got to dust ourselves down and do the same again on Tuesday night."

Millington accepted his side lost to an avoidable goal.

"We believe we could have done better, a number of lads held their hands up at half-time and maybe the timing of it was a little bit of a shock," he said.

"The timing of the goal was disappointing as well.

"But we can't dwell on that because they've done so much so well.

"We'll make that bit better, for sure we will, but to dwell on it as a reason we lost the game is unfair because there are many, many, many things that we did well."

But Millington said the performance from his team was a massive improvement on last Saturday's opening day defeat at Barnet.

"Huge difference," he said. "The feeling isn't hugely different because we've not got the result, but I've always been a coach who's focused more on performance than result.

"When we look at the performance I think everybody who's been here today will recognise it was outstanding in most of its parts.

"Of course there are two crucial parts that dictate the result, and that tends to be what happens in both boxes, but if we play like that most weeks we're going to come away with a positive result."

The Town boss was tight-lipped on the future of Jamie Allen and the proposed signing of another forward.

But Millington reckons Kian Spence could have an outside chance of being fit for Tuesday's game against Southend, but Matty Warburton might take a couple of weeks to be in contention.

"Warby's got a calf strain so he'll be out a little bit longer and we expect him back in the near future.

"But Kian Spence is a lot closer."

On speculation over Warburton moving elsewhere, Millington said: "Absolutely not, I can state categorically that there's been no approach from any other club for Matty Warburton."

And it was the same message from Millington on the future of Jesse Debrah.

"Nothing on the horizon that I'm aware of," he said.

"I don't know for sure that the interest is dead but certainly the most recent offer was rejected and you can see by his performance today, Jesse's committed to performing at the highest level whenever he puts the shirt on."

On defender Festus Arthur, who wasn't involved in the squad, Millington said: "Festus is fit and available. He had a chance of being selected for the squad but we just felt the options off the bench gave us cover in all the areas we needed."