A 2nd successive away stalemate sees FC Halifax Town return North with a point following a goalless draw at Woking
Pete Wild made 4 changes from Tuesday’s starting line-up against Yeovil Town for the trip to Surrey to face Woking FC. In came Danny Williams, Niall Maher, Jack Earing and Gevaro Nepomuceno for Jack Senior, Tom Bradbury, Kieran Green and Gold Omotayo as Town looked for the winning formula. The Town Boss will feel his side deserved all 3 points but found home keeper Craig Ross in fine form and there is no doubting he was the busier of the 2 keepers
Town had slightly the better of the first period. Dominant at the back, neat and tidy in midfield they took they game to their hosts. Jeff King fired over from 25 years then Captain Nathan Clarke headed over from a Luke Summerfield free kick. Home keeper Craig Ross pulled off a fine save low to his left to deny Jack Earing who latched onto a misplace pass in the centre of the pitch.
Woking’s first threat came in the 16th minute when Sam Johnson saved with his legs when a Woking attacker found plenty of space in the penalty area. Former Town midfielder Charlie Cooper twice had opportunities from free-kicks but his crossed were cleared.
The Shaymen responded with Jamie Allen and Martin Woods winning free-kicks near the corner flag but the balls into the box were wasteful. A flurry of yellow cards saw 3 home players go into Referee Quelch’s notebook with Spasov, Cooper and Shotton punished.
Jamie Allen latched onto a long ball from Neill Byrne but fired well wide from 25 years out. And Allen was in the action moments later when he linked up with Jack Earing with keeper Ross saving well from the ex Bolton man with Allen firing the rebound over the bar. Woking countered from a Town free kick, Byrne’s long ball forward was cleared to Dave Tarpey who ran for 60 yards with the ball before unleashing a right foot shot which was deflected over Sam Johnson for a corner.
The 2nd half continued in a similar vein. A fine Town move down the left saw Danny Williams advance into the box but Ross was quick off his line to save the low shot. Slavi Spasov, on loan from Oxford United twice threatened at the other end and Sam Johnson was called into action when he saved low to his left from a low shot.
Just after the hour mark Jake Hyde came on for his debut for the Club. And he may feel he should have done better with his first chance when a left wing corner found him unmarked on the 6 yard line but his header was off target. Neat play from Jeff King released Danny Williams on the left on a couple of occasions but Woking defenders cleared for corners. King was off target with a 25 yard free kick in a central position as Town continued to press forward. A great defensive block at the other end saved the day when it looked as though Ben Dempsey was about to give Woking the lead.
Town pressed forward looking for the winning goal. A couple of late corners were cleared and they were forced to settle for a share of the spoils and the 3rd draw of the week.
It’s a rare full week on the training pitch with no midweek fixture ahead of the trip to South Shields in the FA Cup next Saturday
Town: 1 Sam Johnson, 2 Jeff King,4 Nathan Clarke, 5 Neill Byrne, 7 Jamie Allen, 10 Jack Earing (8 Kieran Green 61), 11 Danny Williams (3 Jack Senior 82), 15 Gevaro Nepomuceno (9 Jake Hyde 61), 19 Luke Summerfield, 26 Martin Woods, 31 Niall Maher
Subs Not Used: 6 Tom Bradbury, 12 Harrison Davison-Hale
Yellow Cards: Jeff King, Nathan Clarke, Kieran Green
Goals: None
Final Score: Woking 0 FC Halifax Town 0
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