Millington hails "morale-boosting" win as Shaymen edge through in FA Trophy

Rob Harker scored twice for Halifax, who were pegged back both times before winning 6-5 on penalties and progressing into the last 16.

Millington felt his side "just about" deserved to go though.

"I think we were the better team, I think we showed we had the better quality.

"We didn't play as well as we wanted to, but all in all I think we probably just about shaded it and deserved to go through.

"We've got a rich history of making life difficult for ourselves in cup competitions in recent years so we knew it wasn't all going to be plain sailing.

"Rob Harker getting a brace is great, he's shown what a good finisher he is.

"Jamie Stott's had another good 90 minutes, which is important for him to get in the tank after a long lay-off.

"A couple of players have had an opportunity to try different positions, Milli Alli as a wing-back, Angelo Capello as a second ten.

"So there's definitely positives we can take out of it.

"I was disappointed with some of our possession, disappointed with some of the transitions when we've given the ball away, how open we've been in allowing them to counter-attack.

"And then some of the game management, giving away soft free-kicks in and around the box, especially the one they scored the first goal from.

"Any times they've had success it's either been off us giving away soft possession and them counter-attacking too easily or us giving away silly set-pieces.

"But the crucial thing is we're through to the next round."

On the penalty shoot-out, Millington said: "Of course it's a lottery.

"To some degree Sam Johnson is the difference because he's so good in those situations.

"At that stage I've got to admit I was nervous sat on the bench.

"But I'd give credit to Jack Senior for having the courage to step up and take the first penalty, which is never easy.

"After that, I thought all the penalties were struck well, which is a good sign because we might have to do that again in the competition."

The win is a welcome boost for Millington after a run of four defeats from the previous five games.

"I know there was a lot of criticism after the Notts County game but as a group we came away understanding really clearly what the positives were and what the outcome might have been had we not conceded the way we did at the time we did," Millington said.

"We came away from that with a lot of positives about the out of possession work, the distance the lads covered, the organisation, the structure.

"To build on that with a morale-boosting result is a good thing because the lads will bounce into training on Thursday."

On the absences of forward Yamen Osawe and defender Jesse Debrah, Millington said: "Before we travelled, there was interest right at the 11th hour for Yamen Osawe so he was due to get on the coach and we decided, because of the situation, it wouldn't be wise for him to travel.

"Jesse Debrah didn't travel for a reason I wouldn't want to go into at this stage because of the respect I've got for the lad and I don't feel it would be right to discuss that publicly."

Millington says the interest in Osawe is from a team outside the country.

On midfielder Kian Spence's groin injury, after the midfielder was apparently pictured walking on Pen-y-ghent, Millington said: "It's the first I've heard of that.

"He was scanned this morning to see where he's up to and we believe the results are favourable but they've gone off to a specialist so we'll know more on that in the next 24 hours."

Jamie Cooke missed the game with a knee injury sustained at Notts County, and has had a scan on the problem.

"The measure of the man is that he carried on and played the full game," Millington said.

"That's potentially a really unfortunate injury at a really unfortunate time."

Cooke and Spence are both doubtful for Saturday's game at Oldham.

Millington said he will know more tomorrow on whether Debrah will be available for Saturday.