FC Halifax Town made it five away wins on the road in the Vanarama National League with a 1-0 victory over Wealdstone this afternoon.
Town boss Pete Wild made two changes to his starting line up from last week’s FA Cup defeat at Kidderminster Harriers with Tom Bradbury coming into the starting XI and Elliot Newby making his first league start replacing Jesse Debrah and Jack Vale.
The only goal of the campaign came in the first half with the award of the first penalty of the season and Matty Warburton made no mistake from 12 yards for his 4th goal of the campaign.
It was the home side who had the first opportunity, Josh Umerah was played through on goal, but his effort was straight at Sam Johnson before some good play allowed Jamie Mascott to shoot from the edge of the box, but his shot was straight at Johnson.
Warburton’s corner in the 16th minute found captain Niall Maher but his header went well over the bar as Town looked for the opening goal.
Jordan Slew looked to have been brought down in the box, but referee Elliott Swallow awarded a corner. This time Warburton’s ball into the box found Bradbury but his effort was over the bar.
Umerah was proving to be a handful and his effort from the edge of the box was curled over the bar before Warburton laid the ball off for Spence and his shot was only just over the bar.
The deadlock was broken on 33 minutes, midfielder Kieran Green was fouled in the box and Warburton made no mistake finding the bottom left corner for the only goal of the game.
Town looked for a quick second goal but Warburton’s freekick into the box found Green who headed back across goal, but Maher’s header again went over the bar.
Newby’s corner found Maher and for a third time he could not keep his header down and it was over the bar again.
Wild made three changes towards the end of the game with Summerfield, Gilmour and Woods replacing Spence, Warburton and Slew.
Umerah looked to find an equaliser in the final minute of normal time as Umerah unleased a powerful strike from 25 yards, but his effort was well wide of Johnson’s post.
Wealdstone won a corner in injury time as Jackson’s cross was turned behind for a corner by Bradbury but the ball into the box was halted by the Referee’s whistle for a foul on Billy Waters.
The win sees the Shaymen move up to fourth in the league and are back in action on Tuesday night as King’s Lynn Town travel to the Shay Stadium, 7.45pm kick-off.
Match Stats:
Wealdstone: 21 Will Dennis; 2 Jack Cook; 4 Ashley Charles; 6 Jerome Okimo ©; 7 Craig Fasanmade (Ira Jackson Jr 68); 9 Josh Umerah; 14 Connor McAvoy; 18 Alex Dyer; 24 Charlie Cooper; 25 Jamie Mascoll (5 Connor Stevens 82); 26 Jayden Sweeney
Subs: 13 Alfie Marigliani; 8 Matt Buse; 23 Jaydn Mundle-Smith
FC Halifax Town: 1 Sam Johnson; 21 Tyrell Warren; 3 Jack Senior; 6 Tom Bradbury; 31 Niall Maher ©; 17 Kian Spence (26 Martin Woods 82); 8 Kieran Green; 10 Matt Warburton (4 Luke Summerfield 83); 11 Billy Waters; 25 Jordan Slew (20 Harvey Gilmour 79); 24 Elliot Newby
Subs: 22 Jack Vale; 2 Jay Benn
Goals: Warburton 35 (pen)
Yellow Cards: Sweeney 14, Charles 33, Umerah 49, Cooper 57, Cook 90 + 3
Red Cards: None
Attendance: 958
Referee: Elliot Swallow
Wealdstone 0 FC Halifax Town 1
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