FC Halifax Town needed a Liam King strike to give them the three points against struggling Altrincham. Many were expected Halifax to come away as comfortable winners but the midfielder insists it was job done in the end.
The goal itself was struck with some class, expertly reading the drop of the ball to lash home a precise finish into the bottom corner from just outside the box, giving The Shaymen a deserved three points.
“The ball has been put in the box and I’ve just anticipated it getting out into the area I was in. I’ve hit it nice and sweet and it’s gone into the bottom corner and it’s given us three points so job done.”
Billy Heath’s men came into the game coming off a four-game unbeaten run that saw them pick up an impressive 10 points. People would have been forgiven for believing that they would have been comfortable winners but Altrincham gave them a hard-fought game.
The home side nearly took the lead early on after Matty Brown was adjudged to give away a foul in the box upon his return to the team. However, Sam Johnson stood strong to beat away the penalty, the only time King believes his side were in any real danger and that the team were not expected an easy game.
“I think we were in control of the game apart from the penalty. They’ve just hooked the ball out and he’s gone through. In the end, it was a good save from Sam Johnson and it gave us the three points.
I don’t know if it was harder than expected, I just think that we just didn’t play very well today and we struggled to create chances. I just think it wasn’t a very pretty game and we just nicked a 1-0 which is good either way.”
As previously mentioned; Brown made his long-awaited return to the Halifax side, playing his first game all season. The last time fans would have seen the centre-back play was the Fa Trophy Final triumph at the end of last campaign.
Penalty incident aside, the defender reminded The Shaymen faithful what he is capable of with a commanding performance at the back alongside Scott Garner, and King was quick to praise him.
“He’s done ever so well. He’s had that much of a lay out it’s difficult to come back from so to have something like that and play the full 90. I’ve been there myself and I was not out for half as long as he was so no doubt he’ll be stiff tomorrow I think he needs the weekend in the ice bath. I think he did was, he was nice and solid and he’s only going to get better.”
Hopefully the two men will play together much more as the season goes on. The next game the two could line up for is the home match against Nuneaton Town on the 11th of February.
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