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First Team

Tamworth: We’ve Met Before

Posted by Kelly Gilchrist
Posted on Thu 18 Aug 2016
Posted in First Team

Billy Heathโ€™s FC Halifax Town remain top of the Vanarama National League North after their midweek draw to fellow top of the table team Stockport County.

The Shaymen next invite West Midland club Tamworth to the Mbi Shay Stadium for the first time since the Lambs suffered a 5-0 drumming during Halifaxโ€™s successful FA Trophy run that saw them lift the cup at Wembley.

Back in December, when the sides last met, Jim Harvey continued his unbeaten start as new manager in a game where Halifax were clear favourites.

In defence, Town ended their horrific record of 35 games without a clean sheet thanks to a solid defensive display in a back line featuring Hamza Bencherif, Ben Clappison, James Bolton and Scott McManus

Up the other end and Halifax had bagged 14 goals in their last four games and the afternoons strikes came from captain Nicky Wroe, Shaquille McDonald, Conor Hughes and a brace from Kingsley James.

The brilliant Shaun Tuton responded to rumours that scouts from Cardiff City and Barnsley were in the crowd to watch him by putting in a Man of the Match performance.

The 21 year-old was on hand to assist with the majority of the afternoonโ€™s goals and it was Tuton whoโ€™s jinxing run found James in space to fire high into the net for the games opening goal.

Tamworth had only lost once all season in the Vanarama National League North, but the game was all but over before half time when another Tuton run and pass to Wroe, whose shot was blocked, fell to McDonald to grab his first goal in senior Football.

Wroe was already a fans favourite amongst the home support and the former Preston North End man was next rewarded for first testing the keeper by having a rebound fall to him this time, a rebound he tapped away with ease. 3-0.

Halifax had already bagged four goals on three occasions under Harvey and Hughes made that four with ten minutes to go. His right foot strike was hit with enough power that once aided with a deflection had no chance of being saved by Tamworth keeper James Belshaw.

The afternoon then ended how it started with James getting on the end of Hughesโ€™ cut back to cap off a five star performance from the Shaymen and send them into the next round of the Trophy and picking up a ยฃ5,000 prize.

Heathโ€™s new look Halifax side will have a tough task to repeat the performance this time out but will have their target set on nothing but the three points at the Mbi Shay Stadium on Saturday.

Read more posts by Kelly Gilchrist

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