FC Halifax Town: We’ll be up for the cup, says Wild ahead of FA Trophy tie against Southport

The Shaymen can take another step closer to Wembley if they beat the National League North side, who are 15th in the table and haven’t played since Boxing Day due to positive Covid cases in their squad.

“It’s another opportunity for us to progress in a cup competition, we’re desperate to do well in the cup and we’re hoping we can do well,” said Wild.

“It’s another tough game against an opponent that we know less about than normal.

“We haven’t got the greatest history against teams from the lower leagues so we’re keen to put that right and do the right thing on Saturday.”

Town were dumped out of the competition in the third round last season by Halesowen, but Wild is confident there will be no repeat of that.

“I think we’re a different club, a different squad than we were when Halesowen were in town last year, and I think we’ve got a different mindset,” he said.

“We’ve got to approach it like we approached Hartlepool on Tuesday, we can’t be half-a-yard off, if we’re half-a-yard off you give the opposition a chance, and we certainly won’t be doing that.”

Wild also thinks Town’s FA Cup defeat at South Shields earlier this season won’t be repeated.

“I’d be disappointed if we’ve got complacency after what happened to us at South Shields so I don’t think the group’s like that,” he said.

“I think we’ve got a mentally strong group and fingers crossed Covid doesn’t hit us so we can be at our best for Saturday.

“The players are desperate to do well and clear that they want a cup run, so I don’t think you can be wary of the players’ attitude, I think they’ll be bang on and ready for the game.”

“I want a good cup, I want to deliver and it’s just like another game on Saturday, we’ve got to win.”

Nor is Wild too concerned about possible fixture congestion a cup run could cause alongside further potential postponements in the league due to Covid or the weather following Tuesday night’s game against Hartlepool being called off.

“Play our best team every week that’s available to us, that’s all we’ll do,” he said.

Only Jay Benn, Nathan Clarke and Jake Hyde are expected to be unavailable to Wild.

The loan of forward Billy Chadwick expires after the game, and Wild was due to speak to parent club Hull on Wednesday about the possibility of extending the deal.


Follow all the action from the game on Saturday on our live blog with Town writer Tom Scargill at https://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/sport/football/halifax-town.