It was a cold and windy affair as FC Halifax Town travelled to Nethermoor Park and came home with a point. The Lions had struck the first blow from Kayode Odejayi’s header and had lost John Rooney from a straight-red just before the first half concluded.
The hosts got the game underway on a very cold afternoon. After 10 minutes of back and forth play, it was the hosts who clinched the first chance of the game. The ball was hit from outside the box and edged towards the left corner where Johnson was able to carry the ball out of play.
The Lions continued to pressure The Shaymen for the majority of the first quarter. After the Shaymen had given away a free kick, Guiseley’s Kayode Odejayi was able to put the hosts ahead with a header.
The Shaymen reacted and were able to force their own free-kick from a handball. Town guided the ball where it landed to Connor Thomson, aimed for the top right but Guiseley’s keeper Luke Coddington parried it out for a corner.
It wasn’t the perfect start that Town wanted on their travels to a team sitting in the relegation zone. The game had a lost a little pace in the start of the second quarter and the Shaymen didn’t look like threatening in the final third, however Sam Johnson was able to keep the team in the game with a couple of comfortable saves.
The Shaymen had got away with conceding a second goal after Dayle Southwell scuffed the ball away from goal, John Rooney had done well to guide the ball that set up Southwell who looked dangerous in the box after we conceded another free-kick.
The fans began to get frustrated and so Halifax tried to control the temper of passing in the midfield, it had left them vulnerable for a counter attack when they got too casual in possession. Matty Kosylo had a chance to level the game from a rebound which concluded a wonderful run by Thomson.
The game got a little out of control just before the half-time whistle after a coming together between Rooney and Scott McManus, it was Rooney who was sent off with a straight red and McManus was given a yellow card. The Shaymen looked more alive after Rooney’s dismissal but their attacking play couldn’t force an equaliser and so the hosts had the lead at the break.
Halifax got the second half underway at Nethermoor Park. After losing Rooney before the break, The Lions decided to sit-back and defend their lead, Halifax took advantage and were able to have more possession.
The Shaymen had forced a couple of freekicks where Jake Hibbs was the set-piece specialist, after Guiseley conceded a corner from Hibbs’ freekick, McManus and Matty Brown missed their chances to level the game but the ball flew over the bar.
Kosylo went in for a tackle but was able to walk away with just a yellow, the fury of the home fans indicated that they felt that the card should have been red and so Town continued to have the extra-man advantage. Town were lucky not to lose their playmaker.
Halifax had grabbed the equaliser from a clinical counter-attack set up by Johnson which land on Tomlinson’s feet and was able to chip the ball over Coddington into the back of the net.
After losing their lead from Odejayi’s goal in the first half, Guiseley reacted and looked more attacking, sending more of their men up the pitch to take back their lead. Johnson made himself as big as the goal and kept his side in the game.
Town’s attacking play improved with a wonderful cross from Michael Collins and Hibbs headed the ball narrowly wide from the target. Minutes later and the possession resumed to go back and forth between the two sides. Jamie Fullarton used his second substitution by replacing Nathan Hotte with Tom Denton, hoping to give the team the lead for the first time in the match.
Johnson produced a wonderful save which ensured the point from the game and the final whistle was blown. Jamie Fullarton continues his unbeaten run as FC Halifax manager for a little longer.
FT: 1-1
Team News
1 Sam Johnson, 5 Matty Brown (c), 7 Matty Kosylo, 8 Nathan Hotte, 11 Scott McManus, 14 Ben Tomlinson, 22 Michael Collins, 23 Connor Thomson, 31 Niall Maher, 32 Raheem Hanley, 39 Michael Duckworth
Subs: 13 Joe Green, 15 Callum McFadzean, 31 Andrew Howarth, 38 Adam Crookes, 39 James Roberts
Guiseley:
1 Luke Coddington, 5 Ash Palmer, 8 Will Hatfield, 10 John Rooney, 12 Dayle Southwell, 17 ALex Purver, 34 Darren Holden, 35 Rowan Liburd, 19 Kayode Odejayi, 36 Alex-Ray Harvey, 40 Harry Flowers
Subs: 13 Joe Green, 15 Callum McFadzean, 31 Andrew Howarth, 38 Adam Crookes, 39 James Roberts
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