Millington calls for repeat performance from Shaymen in Saturday's trip to Maidstone

Halifax produced a superb display on Tuesday night to beat York 1-0 for a precious three points after they had lost their previous three games, conceding ten goals.

The win lifted Town off the foot of the table and one place above 20th placed Maidstone, who have lost five of their last six matches.

"We'll certainly enjoy the feeling because it's been a long time coming to be satisfied with a full performance, from the first minute to the last," Millington said.

"Everybody involved should be pleased with that and enjoy it.

"We'll start looking at Maidstone in earnest now and take some of the learnings from the last few days and try to build on the successes we saw on Tuesday.

"I think the most important thing is that we look like a really solid defensive unit when we haven't got the ball, that the team grows in confidence from the clean sheet, and builds on that.

"I know we've not been a free-flowing, prolific team so far this season but I do believe we've got goals in us.

"On Tuesday we had Mani and Slewy coming off the bench who we know are a goal threat, you've got Rob Harker who's scored, we've had Kian Spence have a really good opportunity, and a number of other opportunities, so I know we're going to score goals when we put that level of effort and application in, so we've just got to make sure we don't concede.

"That's the biggest message coming out of Tuesday's game."

When asked if the performance in Tuesday's win over York had set the standard his side must now match, Millington said: "Without a doubt. It's only right to deliver that type of performance for the fans because they've seen what we're capable of, and the players have demonstrated that when they match or even outwork oppositions, then we can go and get the result.

"I think that was the big difference between the two sides on Tuesday, York are clearly a good team but I think we just worked that bit harder and showed that bit more desire, and as a result, we've got the victory."

The Town boss says Tuesday's win will provide a boost in confidence to his players.

"A massive impact really," he said. "For us as staff, we're always measuring the performance, and had we not won the game we'd have come away very pleased with the performance.

"But the players need to see the fruits of their labours and they need to see the results of their effort and application, and the result on Tuesday was they got a victory that was hard-fought but well-earned.

"So they can come away confident that the work they've put in has been rewarded and will be more often than not going forward."

Millington came under fierce pressure from some Town fans after the club's dreadful start to the season, but the Town boss is pleased his side has finally shown what they are capable of.

"There's a sense of satisfaction that the lads have put in a performance that I always believed they could, so that's the overriding feeling," he said.

"I immediately start thinking about what we've got to do to maintain it, and we'll prepare thoroughly for Maidstone and I'll make sure I do everything I can to help the lads be fully prepared to go and repeat the performance of Tuesday.

"The overriding feeling is satisfaction that we've actually demonstrated what I always believed the lads were capable of doing in terms of performance.

"But that means nothing if we don't back it up with a similar performance on Saturday."

Millington now wants his side to replicate what they produced on Tuesday on a regular basis.

"One of the key things I really want us to be is consistent," he said.

"It might not mean we win every game but I want our performance levels to be consistently good.

"I would be proud to be able to say that the team were performing consistently well, so that's the most important thing for us to now start to do.

"And the way we can do that is by putting in a repeat performance on Saturday, and then after Saturday we'll be looking to do it again, and we'll look to do it again.

"But the first and most important thing is preparing ourselves and making sure we do everything to try and put in a similar performance on Saturday."

Millington has ruled Matty Warburton and Osayamen Osawe out of Saturday's game, but says Angelo Capello could be in contention.

You can follow all the action from Saturday’s game at Maidstone on our live blog on the Courier website, where there will also be an on-the-whistle match report and post-match reaction.