Grix: Halifax running low on confidence following Swinton Lions loss

Fax collapsed to a decisive 20-0 deficit after half an hour at Heywood Road and finished with 11 men at Heywood Road after Ed Barber and Steve Tyrer were sent off; Barber before half time, Tyrer with a minute remaining.

The loss means Fax have won just one of their last 11 Championship fixtures as Grix’s baptism of fire as a head coach continues.

“At the moment, we are a team with next to zero confidence and very little resilience,” said Grix, whose side have two home games - against Rochdale on Sunday week and York - before a troubled season can finally be laid to rest.

“As soon as anything goes against us, we’re looking for a hole to swallow us up.

“People talk about winning being a habit, but losing is too and it’s one we need to learn to break over the next three weeks.

“The players are all pretty deflated and embarrassed by what they’re doing but people are paying good money to watch them and they owe them - and themselves - more than they’re showing at the moment.

“We’re a team that shouldn’t be eighth in the Championship and we certainly shouldn’t be thinking about finishing ninth.

“We are in a tough spot and it’s not nice, but we need to make sure we stay where we are now.

“I don’t like to talk about match officials too much, but I wasn’t sure about the sendings-off; I just didn’t think they handled the game too well for either side.”

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