"We look a lot more like the Halifax Town of old," says Millington ahead of Southend clash

Halifax made it three games unbeaten on Wednesday night with a very creditable 1-1 draw at leaders Forest Green Rovers.

They host a Southend team 16th in the table having won just five of their first 20 league matches.

"We can't forget Southend drew 2-2 with Forest Green recently and although their league position isn't what they'd want it to be, we've got every respect for them," Millington told the Courier

"We think they're an excellent group of players, we think they're a really well -coached team.

"It's always a challenge coming up against them, there's no quarter given by either team.

"We'll go into it really relishing the challenge and looking forward to it.

"We're now three unbeaten in the league, we've conceded once in those three games and out of possession, certainly, we look a lot more like the Halifax Town of old."

When asked whether his team should take heart from their draw at Forest Green going into Saturday, Millington said: "We don't feel in awe of anyone, ever.

"We go into every game with a plan to win it.

"Sometimes we have to implement a more conservative plan, like on Wednesday, because Forest Green, alongside Oldham, are probably the two teams that play a level of intensity that's more akin to League Two than National League.

"We go toe-to-toe with York City and controlled the game for large parts with the ball.

"We went into Wednesday's game with a different plan, but the plan was still to win the game.

"We don't go anywhere looking for a point, and that'll always be the case while I'm in charge.

"There's no shame in going into a game looking to defend the opposition's strengths and the periods in the game when the opposition are consistely at their best more conservatively.

"But we'll always look to hurt them when we know their weak areas and moments in games.

"We knew Forest Green get more vulnerable later in games because the units get more stretched and the back four start to drop off, and that's why we knew we'd have more joy later in the game.

"But we'll always go into every game with a plan to try and win it."

Millington feels Town have started to gather some momentum on the back of wins over Woking and Yeovil and Wednesday's draw.

"It's a real joy to see the lads getting a bit of reward because they are a really good, honest, young group of players," he said.

"We forget we're the youngest squad in the division, often the youngest 11, by quite a long way, so that should be a badge of honour for our club because a lot of these lads are going to go on and have very successful careers and we hope that a good portion of that is with us.

"But I know there's a lot of pride taken in players who've had a period at the club and then gone onto bigger things, and there'll be a number of these that end up doing the same.

"We'll go into every game with the intention of trying to win it and keep working incredibly hard to be the best we can be."

None of the Injured trio of Max Wright, Ryan Galvin and Harvey Sutcliffe are expected to be in contention for Saturday's game, while there also aren't expected to be any additions to the squad by the weekend.

On whether he would look to freshen up his side after keeping the same team for the last three matches, Millington said: "We've got to look at that, we've got to make sure we maintain our freshness.

"There'll be a few who are struggling come Saturday, it was a long trip on Wednesday, not home until the early hours, Thursday is a write off, Friday is a light session.

"There'll be some sore and tired bodies.

"The really pleasing thing was everybody contributed to the draw on Wednesday and that'll be the same on Saturday.

"It might be different players who are having to make the impact off the bench, but everybody who's involved will have to contribute and have an impact."