FC Halifax Town: Brown expecting a different game in semi-final, second-leg

The Shaymen take a 4-2 lead into the second-leg of their FA Trophy semi-final at The Shay on Saturday.

But the defender is predicting the rematch will bear little resemblance to the first game between the sides, with the onus now on Nantwich to make up lost ground.

“I think you’ll find it’ll be a totally different game,” he said.

“You never get the same two games when you face each other twice.

“We know the way they play but I can almost guarantee it will be a different type of game on Saturday.

“Whether we set up differently to counteract their strengths, I don’t know.

“There’s more at stake on Saturday. Last week we were on a level par starting the game but now Nantwich have to come out of the blocks and make a move.”

Brown admits Town aren’t over the line yet but is warning against The Shaymen sitting back on their lead.

“It’s one of those horrible score-lines, a 4-2 lead,” he said.

“The next goal will be important. If they got it, the momentum would be with them but hopefully we can get the job done.

“I’m confident we can.

“They’ve got good players so you can’t just sit back and invite pressure because they will end up getting a chance or even scoring.

“We’ve got to get that balance right.”

The former Chester defender felt there was a determined mood about the Town squad in the build-up to the first-leg and is confident they can finish the job tomorrow.

“You could see it in training last Thursday that there was more of a bite to it and the lads knew we needed to get our finger out,” he said.

“It’s getting to the business end of the season and we need the points in the league and we want to get to Wembley.

“By no stretch of the imagination is that job done. Not at all. Nantwich are a good side, hats off to them, and it’ll be another tough game next Saturday.

“But we’ve got to be professional.

“There’s a lot of good players in their dressing room. They’re nice footballers and to play football the way they did on that kind of surface, hats off to them.

“But at our patch we’ve got to fancy ourselves. It’s our back yard and we’re not letting that space in the final up easily.”