In-form Warburton and Town are frustrated by end of season
The end of the season is coming at just the wrong time for Matty Warburton and his team.
After a superb debut campaign last season, Warburton has found things more of a struggle this term, hampered by spells out of the team through injury.
But he and The Shaymen have found form and are producing some strong performances to end the season on a high.
"Frustration is the word I'd use," reflected the Town forward.
"Purely injury based, I picked up an injury three days before the start of the season which ruled me out for four to five weeks.
"I then got a knee injury, again, six weeks.
"Then got back in the groove, felt like I was getting back, scored at Altrincham, and then did my calf again at the start of January, which was a longer one, about six or seven weeks.
"So I've never really had a season of injuries before but I'm just happy now, touch wood, that I'm at the back end of them now, looking after myself a bit better.
"I'm over the age of 30 now so I'm managing my body a bit better and hoping I'm at the end of them."
A fully fit and firing Warburton could have made a vital difference to Town's promotion chances this season, although the attacker says he has tried to exert an influence even when he's not been playing.
"You learn how to be a better team-mate when you're out of the team because of injury and you can't affect the result," he said.
"You try and do everything you can to install belief in other lads or have chats with players about how they an improve, doing everything I possibly can to try and help the boys on a Saturday.
"I've taken quite a lot of learnings out of this year that I'll take into future seasons.
"More than anything I've probably learned how to manage my body a bit better."
It's a case of what might have been for Halifax as the league season draws to a close, with The Shaymen having picked up 17 points from the last 21 available.
"On the way home from Woking, me and Jamie Stott were looking at form in the last 10, 15, 20, 30 games and we're right up there," Warburton said.
"It proves we obviously didn't start very well but we've finished the season extremely strongly, keeping clean sheets on a regular basis, and that's from Sam all the way up.
"You can see the lads right at the top of the pitch working hard to keep those clean sheets and I think that's one of the main reasons why the form's improved dramatically.
"It is finishing at the wrong time and had we had another couple of months, we'd really be pushing for those play-off spots."
When asked if he would like to stay at Town next season, Warburton said: "I don't see why not, I think those conversations will probably happen within the next few weeks, after Wembley," he said.
"It's a conversation I'll have with the gaffer and see what his thoughts are, ultimately it's down to him.
"If there's a deal on the table and it's right, then I don't see why not.”