FC Halifax Town finished the league season with a 1-1 draw at home to Eastleigh with an injury time equaliser from Rob Harker to cancel out Kairo Mitchell’s first half strike.
The Shaymen went into the game unbeaten in April and earnt a point with Harker’s fourth goal in five games and the draw means that both goalkeepers Sam Johnson and Joe McDonnell share the National League Golden Glove award with 17 each for the season.
It was the home side who started brightly, Harvey Gilmour picked up a loose pass in midfield and found Tylor Golden, his cross was met by the head of Millenic Alli, but his effort was saved by Joe McDonell and was cleared for a corner.
A good run from Oscar Rutherford run saw him go past a challenge from Gilmour and got himself into the box but he unable to get a shot in and Adam Senior was on hand to block for a corner.
Johnson was called into action as Ryan Hill got into the box, his shot was saved by the Town goalkeeper, the ball was kept alive and fell to Danny Whitehall and his shot was saved by the feet of Johnson.
The home keeper was called into action again, ball in from the right-hand side was turned goalwards by Kairo Mitchell and Johnson parried out for a corner, but the visitors took the lead on 28 minutes and there was nothing he could do to stop this effort. Ryan Hill played a ball into the box for Kairo Mitchell having got behind Jamie Stott and he fired past Johnson for the opening goal of the game.
Town looked for an equaliser, Alli had the goal in his sights but curled his effort wide of the target after Gilmour won the ball, before Alli went down in the box under a challenge, nothing given. Back up and Town worked the ball to Jamie Cooke, and he beat a couple of men and his shot was deflected over the bar for a corner.
The visitors had an effort beat Johnson, but his shot came off the bar and Town survived, then Rob Harker inside the box but forced McDonnell into a fine save.
Town were forced into a change as Festus Arthur carried off the pitch on a stretcher and replaced by Max Wright
McDonnell was forced into a save as Rob Harker’s effort was straight at the Spitfires keeper.
The equaliser came as Angelo Cappello’s shot was tipped onto the bar and Town kept the ball alive and worked it to Harker inside the six-yard box who made no mistake with a tap-in.
Town will head to Wembley in three weeks’ time in good form to take on Gateshead in the FA Trophy final.
Match Stats
FC Halifax Town: 1 Sam Johnson, 2 Tylor Golden (10 Matt Warburton 89), 18 Angelo Cappello, 6 Jamie Stott, 27 Adam Senior (5 Jesse Debrah 90) 22 Festus Arthur (28 Max Wright 68) 15 Jack Hunter, 20 Harvey Gilmour, 21 Millenic Alli, 19 Jamie Cooke, 17 Rob Harker
Subs: 3 Jack Senior, 12 Tom Scott
Eastleigh
1 Joe McDonnell, 3 Michael Kelly, 5 Aaron Martin ©, 8 Ousseynou Cisse, 9 Danny Whitehall, 11 Ryan Hill, 12 George Langston, 16 John McKiernan, 17 Vincent Harper, 18 Kairo Mitchell (30 Jake Scrimshaw 89), 21 Oscar Rutherford
Subs: 13 Ross Flitney, 26 Lyle Simpson 27 Seuny Yang, 29 Harley Stock
Referee: Dean Watson
Goals: Mitchell 28
Yellow Cards A Senior 16, Langston 74, Hill 90
Red Cards: None
Attendance: 2154 (54 away)
FC Halifax Town 1 Eastleigh 1
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