Town boss Millington says Shaymen have things to build on ahead of visit to Hartlepool on Saturday

Halifax got their second win of the season last weekend with a 1-0 victory at bottom side Ebbsfleet United.

And Millington says he has taken encouragement from that performance and the display in the 1-0 defeat against Solihull before it.

"I think the last two performances have been different in style but lots of positives in both," he said.

"There were signs when we tweaked shape and went into the Solihull game that we were getting one or two players in and around it who'd not been available to us, there were a lot more signs of what we can do with the ball, how we can create chances.

"Against Ebbsfleet, it showed when we needed to dig in and see out the last stages of the game under a bit of pressure, we've got the character to be able to do that.

"So I think both performances gave us things to build on."

Town have looked more productive in their 4-2-3-1 system after switching from 3-4-3.

"The 3-4-3 is a good shape for us when we need to look at trying to be harder to beat," Millington said.

"The stats bear it out, we concede fewer shots on our goal, we concede fewer penalty box entries into our box and we concede fewer goals when we play 3-4-3.

"So we know we can be a real difficult team in that shape.

"But the downside of that is we create fewer chances as well, so when we play the 4-2-3-1, we're more of an attacking threat, we have higher possession stats, we have more entries into the opposition box and we create greater chances and score more goals, as was borne out last season.

"Up until January, we played 3-4-3 and then the second-half of the season we moved into the 4-2-3-1 and became much more of an attacking threat and a more attractive team to watch.

"So we know what the pros and cons are, we've got to deploy both shapes depending on where we're at personnel wise and where we're at with the cycle of the development of the team.

"It's no secret that I prefer the 4-2-3-1 but I'm also pragmatic enough to know that sometimes we just need to go out there and make sure that we win ugly."

The Town boss says he has sensed a bit of a lift after that win at Ebbsfleet amongst the squad.

"I think the manner of it, the fact that we've largely been comfortable and in control for most of the game but then we've really had to dig in to see it out, the last ten minutes we had a bit of adversity to deal with, with them putting it on us a bit more and Jamie Cooke getting sent off," he said..

"Coming through those moments is really good in the evolution of a group of players, especially a young group of players."

On making it back-to-back wins at Hartlepool, the Town manager said: "We go there wanting to win, what comes after that is a switch of focus into the next game.

"What we've got to do is focus all our energies in trying to get three points, regardless of what it may or may not do for momentum.

"As long as we perform well and we perform to the levels we know we can more often than not, we know that we'll win more games than we lose.

"So we've got to be making sure that we do everything we can to prepare right and give ourselves the best chance of performing to the levels we can, and if we do that we know that the result should take care of itself."

Hartlepool have won two, drawn three and lost one so far, and will be without captain Luke Waterfall after he was sent off last time out in their 0-0 home draw with Braintree.

"I think their record speaks for itself so far this season, not a lot in each game," said Millington.

"They've obviously had a few disciplinary issues and maybe unsurprisingly really in terms of the combative nature of their side, they'll fight for every ball and fight for every moment, so when you play that close to the line sometimes you are going to cross it.

"We've got to stand up to that, we've got to match it and I think if we do, hopefully we'll have enough quality to hurt them with the ball."