"There were one or two who've disappointed today," says Millington after behind-closed-doors draw with Sheffield United u21s

Tylor Golden and Rob Harker scored as Halifax came from behind twice to draw the game, which was played at St George's Park.

"I thought it was a really good test," said Millington. "A Premier League's under 21 team is always going to be a good test in terms of moving the ball, stretching us out of possession and they're going to have a good, organised structure in their out of possession.

"As a game it was reasonably entertaining, the scoreline was probably fair.

"Sheff U were probably the better team with the ball, they moved it better than us but we had a number of good chances that you'd hope we'd take on another day.

"All in all a very worthwhile experience as much for getting good minutes in legs, seeing the performance of some of the players in a positive sense, but there were one or two who've disappointed today.

"But that's important as well, that we see who's not quite up to scratch at the moment."

When asked if he felt he'd been left with as many questions as answers, Millington said: "No, I think we've got a lot of answers.

"There's one or two players who flattered to deceive towards the end of last season, and they've started pre-season in a similar vein, not really hitting the heights they did around Easter time when we were pumping Wrexham and beating York.

"There are one or two players who need to reach those levels again because they just haven't hit them and are failing to do so consistently at the moment."

Millington said The Blades' youth team provided good opposition for his side, but that a couple of his players fell short in their performances.

"We know how good they are," he said. "We look at their players all the time and there's many players who come out of there that we'd take.

"There's a good number of their players who will go out into the National League and the Football League loans, so they're a good side and they've been playing together a reasonable amount of time so they're well organised and well drilled.

"We've got a mix of young players, new signings and triallists out there so we're never going to be as slick as Sheffield United but what certain players failed to do was compete as well as they should.

"They failed to fight for possession as well as they should and failed to come out with the ball from challenges as often as they should.

"Those things we should never be losing out on against any team, so that's a disappointment."

Millington said those players need to treat it as a wake-up call.

"We've got some very good players who weren't here today - Ryan Galvin, Aaron Cosgrave and Max Wright - who, by their absence, immediately move up the pecking order because a small number of players have under-performed," he said. "I'm disappointed.

"Those four will get more minutes on Saturday. There was a bit of fatigue in one or two of them post-Farsley, that was the reason we couldn't stretch the whole squad to full 90's today by honouring the Buxton game.

"So it was a case of resting them and making sure that any of that fatigue is well out of their legs by the time they come to the Fylde game."

When asked what the main positives he took from the game were, Millington said: "It was a really good work out physically, got some good distances in the legs.

"We were stretched out of possession and I felt, largely, we dealt with that.

"They had some very good possession but resorted to going direct quite a lot and when they did, we largely dealt with it quite well.

"It's given us some clarity on two or three of the triallists so we know how we'll move forward with those.

"And it's given us some areas we need to work on, although we were very solid in possession against Farsley on Saturday, we were less effective with the ball today in terms of our build-up play and playing through the thirds, so that's something that needs a bit of attention."

Millington says Harker can step-up to be Town's main man up-front this season "without a doubt".

"He's shown today what he can do in-front of goal," said the Town boss.

"His run and his finish were fantastic.

"If we can get him on the ball facing forwards he will be a very, very good National League striker.

"That's what we're working on, is finding ways for him and Aaron to be receiving the ball facing goal, whether it's receiving it like he did today, a long way out, or Aaron did when he nicked it off the defender at Farsley and driving to goal, or balls across the box they can finish first time, I believe both of them can be very successful."

The departure of defender Jesse Debrah was confirmed earlier today by The Shaymen.

"A phenomenal ride really," Millington said of the defender's two years at the club.

"I remember meeting him when he came on trial with us at the clubhouse, wondering whether or not it was going to work for him.

"But after half-an-hour of having a cup of tea and chatting with hi, I was desperate for him to succeed with us because he was such a fantastic human being.

"I'm just delighted that the likelihood is he's going to end up getting a move he deserves because he works incredibly hard, he set a fantastic example to other lads coming through and we're all better off for having had him at the club.

"I hope everybody attached with Halifax Town watches him progress with a little sense of pride because he's forever a Shayman now."