FC Halifax Town: Skipper Brown eyeing another step towards safety

The Spitfires are fifth in the National League having won six of their last seven games, and have the division’s second top scorer in 21-goal Paul McCallum.

The striker has netted seven goals in his last five appearances, and scored a brace in Eastleigh’s 2-0 win at big-spending Salford last time out.

The Shaymen have won once, lost once and drawn four of their last six games, not conceding in just under five hours, but only scoring once in their last seven matches.

A first ever win against Eastleigh would put Town on 43 points, a tally Brown reckons would get them somewhere near what they will need to retain their National League status.

“I’ve had a good look at it recently and I don’t even think it’ll take 50 this year, I think it’ll be a lower points tally,” Brown said.

“That’s not saying it changes any of our targets, we’ve just got to go into each game looking to win.

“We know it’s another tough one next away to Eastleigh, they’re flying.

“You prepare differently for every team you play but we’ll be going there to take points out of the game.

“We’ve still got winnable games, although we’re Halifax, so we’ll end up doing it the hard way!

“We’ll probably end up beating the teams no-one expects us to win (against), but we’re confident.

“The lads are all upbeat. We know the job in hand and the sooner we get it done the better.”

Brown wants to ensure The Shaymen secure their place in the fifth tier for next season before turning his thoughts to what else the remainder of the campaign may have in store.

“The situation we’re in, you know me by now, I’m just looking at getting us safe, that’s my sole focus, making sure this club stays in this league,” he said.

“I know how easily it can happen that you slip out of it.

“Last week would have been a good one (to win) to go eight points clear but it didn’t happen, so we’ve got to dust ourselves down.

“As soon as we get to 50 we can reassess again, but my total focus at the minute is just on making sure we get safe, and then you’d look on an improvement from last year.

“It’s the club’s first year in a transition of going hybrid with the full-time.

“You’re just looking for improvement all the time. It’s going to be tough but we’ve definitely got the dressing room there to put the work in to get the job done.”

Eastleigh’s form holds no fear for the Town skipper, who is keen to increase Town’s five point cushion to the drop zone.

He added: “It can turn. Had it gone a different way (against Havant) then you don’t want to think about it, but it just brings that pressure in.

“Five points is a gap but we want to make that gap bigger and start looking up.

“Yes Eastleigh are a good team but we’ll set up well. We drew 0-0 away there last year.

“We’ll be looking to take the points. They’re due a loss.”