FC Halifax Town have cruised into the next round of the West Riding County Cup after an incredible 8-1 demolition job of their West Yorkshire counterparts Ossett Albion.
Currently plying their trade in the Evo-Stik Northern Premier, Albion were taken apart by a mixed bag as manager Billy Heath made eleven changes from the side that drew 0-0 at Dagenham & Redbridge on Saturday in the FA Cup.
The overhaul of changes didn’t faze the relatively young FC Halifax Town outfit as they controlled the game from start to finish. Starting on the left hand side and finishing it on the right, man of the match Shiraz Khan was a terror for both Ossett full-backs in Declan Dawson and Kieran Thompson.
It didn’t take long for Khan to get the ball rolling for Town, on five minutes he latched onto a loose ball after goalkeeper Tom Nicholson played the ball up field. The winger showed great pace, advanced onto the Ossett defence and smashed one into the left hand bottom corner from 25-yards.
It was 2-0 before ten minutes when Khan put a cross in from the right hand side which was flapped at by Bradshaw, the ball found its way back to the winger’s feet as he squared it for Jack Johnson to finish under pressure.
Half time saw the teams go in with the score at 4-0 to Halifax when two deft set piece situations killed the game off.
Firstly, from Elliott Harrison who buried Matty Kosylo’s cross with a glancing header, followed by a Kosylo direct free kick that made its way through a crowd of bodies to bundle in at the far post, right on half time.
It didn’t take long for Town to get going in the second, left back Isaac Baldwin found himself on the edge of the box after a tricky run and buried his right footed shot underneath ‘keeper Bradshaw.
Halifax grew into the game, controlling possession and countering with great precision. They made it 6-0 on ’52 minutes when Kosylo threaded a ball through for the impressive Khan who squared for skipper Richard Peniket.
Shortly after James Sunderland made it 7-0 to Halifax on ’66 minutes, Ossett managed to grab a consolation goal through substitute Nathan Joynes with a mirror of Harrison’s header in the first half when he glanced a free kick into the bottom left past Tom Nicholson.
Town rounded off their emphatic cup victory ’86 minutes in with some more exhibition football, Shiraz Khan capped off his exemplary performance when he showed lightning pace to break through on goal. He was unfortunate not to score when Bradshaw parried his shot, which was quickly followed up by second-half sub Marko Basic to finish off the goal scoring.
FC Halifax Town return to action this Saturday at The MBi Shay when they face league rivals Kidderminster Harriers, stay posted for our weekly pre-match content as Town hope to leapfrog Kidderminster inside the play-offs.
MOTM: Shiraz Khan
Ossett Albion: Bradshaw (GK), Dawson, Thompson, Nicholson, South (C), Holt, Hennessey (Rayne), Hunter, Muller (Joynes), Bower, Byrnes.
Subs Not Used: Eyles, West
FC Halifax Town: Nicholson (GK), Moyo, Baldwin, Harrison, Barrows, Johnson, Kosylo (Sunderland), Hibbs (Thompson), Peniket (C), Burrow (Basic), Khan
Subs Not Used: Trenerry.
Goals: Joynes / Khan, Johnson. Harrison. Kosylo, Baldwin, Peniket, Sunderland, Basic.
Yellow Cards: None
Red Cards: None
Attendance: 132
Latest: Ossett Albion 1 FC Halifax Town 8
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