FC Halifax Town’s winning streak of three matches was broken by a strong and determined Salford City side. With two goals from Adam Rooney, the hosts won their first match this season over the Shaymen, after both teams played at their best for the full 90 minutes plus stoppage time.
Both teams started strong in the Peninsula Stadium on this summer night providing best conditions for a football, with Halifax wanting to keep their clean sheet. But Salford, who so far lost two and draw one match gave the guests from Yorkshire a hard time from the first minute.
After an early free-kick won by Danny Whitehead, Salford City started the attack in the Halifax defending half. A high cross into the middle of the box from Nick Haughton was headed straight into the net by Rooney. Scoring the first goal of the night after only 11 minutes, he brought the hosts into the lead which gave them a significant psychological advantage.
Sam Johnson kept his goal safe for the rest of the first half, catching a high shot from Haughton out of mid-air. Several long shots into the box from the hosts were deflected by the Halifax defence and a Lloyd effort went wide over the left-hand corner of the goal.
The Shaymen quickly got their form back and started counter-attacks on Salford but they failed to finish most of their attacks, with Jonathan Edwards not being able to reach a pass in the front of the goal. Chris Neal keeping his goal safe, deflecting a shot on target from Dayle Southwell and catching a shot on target from Edwards just minutes before the end of the first half.
With tempers rising high on the pitch, Halifax desperately trying to create chances for an equaliser, two yellow cards were shown on the pitch before the half-time whistle. Salford’s Haughton brought Matthew Kosylo down in an unnecessary challenge. Only a few minutes later Ben Tomlinson was booked for a foul on Ibou Touray.
No changes made during the break, the second half saw no decline in action and power. Salford was back on the attack, but Scott Wiseman’s shot and another Lloyd effort missed the goal and went out of play. Lois Maynard hit the crossbar of the Halifax goal and Johnson further keeping his net safe.
Just under 20 minutes to go, one of the biggest chances for the Shaymen presented itself. From right outside the box Southwell brilliantly crossed the ball in front of the goal, were Kosylo simply had to push the ball into the netting of the bottom left corner for the equalizer.
The equal score increased the pressure once again on the pitch and both teams made their first change to bring fresh power into the match. Jamie Fullarton brought Jordan Preston on for the goal scorer Kosylo. For Salford, Haughton came off, substituted by Tom Walker.
Walker became dangerous shortly after coming into the match, but his effort from left outside the box was caught by Johnson. In the 83rd minute, Salford was once again on the attack, putting the Halifax defence under too much pressure. Touray’s cross into the box was deflected into the net by Rooney, who – once again – put the hosts into the lead.
In the last minutes of regular time, Cameron King came on for the Shaymen, replacing Simon Lenighan and Mekhi McLeod came on for Tomlinson. Salford also made one more change, taking Lloyd out for former Town defender Liam Hogan.
Until the last second, the teams fought for the win. Salford won two more free-kicks in stoppage time, but the attacks were unsuccessful. In the very last second of the match, McLeod managed to break through the home team’s defence one last time, but Neal was already there to safe the ball.
The final whistle brought the end of the match and the end of Halifax’ 100% record this season, with Salford City winning 2-1 over FC Halifax Town.
Salford City: 1 Chris Neal, 2 Scott Wiseman, 3 Ibou Touray, 8 Lois Maynard, 23 Nathan Pond, 6 Carl Piergianni, 10 Danny Lloyd (5 Liam Hogan 85), 18 Danny Whitehead, 9 Adam Rooney (c), 30 Rory Gaffney, 7 Nick Haughton (19 Tom Walker 74)
Subs: 12 Max Crocombe, 4 Gus Mafuta, 21 Devante Rodney
FC Halifax Town: 1 Sam Johnson,2 Michael Duckworth, 15 Niall Maher, 7 Matty Kosylo (19 Jordan Preston 79), 16 Simon Lenighan (8 Cameron King 84), 4 Nathan Clarke, 9 Dayle Southwell, 10 Jonathan Edwards, 14 Ben Tomlinson (22 Mekhi McLeod 89), 5 Matty Brown (c), 40 Jacob Hanson
Subs: 21 Shaun Rowley, 11 Samni Odelusi,
Goals: Rooney 11, 83 Kosylo 73
Yellow Cards: Haughton 20, Tomlinson 30
Red Cards: None
Attendance: 2632 (680)
Salford City 2 FC Halifax Town 1
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