FC Halifax Town started the season with a 2-1 win over Barnet at the Shay thanks to second half goals from Jamie Cooke and Adam Adetoro.
Town were up against one of the Vanarama National League title favourites and the young Halifax side came away with the win on the opening day of the season.
Chris Millington’s side started on the front foot. An early corner for the Shaymen which was cleared, the ball back in towards Adam Senior was flicked out for a second corner. The ball was cleared to and the shot from Andrew Oluwabori was over the bar.
A foul by Adetoro on Zak Brunt gave a freekick to the away side. The freekick was swung into the box, but Town were able to clear away by Will Smith.
Barnet had a period of possession for the visitors, with couple of crosses headed back across goal and the final one was deflected wide by Adam Adetoro for the Bees first corner. The ball into the box was headed wide for a goal kick.
Callum Stead took on Adam Senior down the right-hand side, he skipped past a challenge in the box and his pull back from the by-line was cleared by Angelo Cappello.
Another foul by Adetoro, the ball into the box was headed behind by Adam Senior for a corner. Town able to clear the ball from danger
The first booking of the game came in the 21st minute as Jack Jenkins fouled Danny Collinge in a central position.
Freekick for the Shaymen, taken down the line and Pugh got to the by-line his cross across was headed goalwards by Will Smith but claimed by the Bees goalkeeper Nick Hayes
Adetoro blocked a cross, Kanu was appealing for handball, but nothing given as play continued and the cross from the right-hand side looked for Nicke Kabamba, his header was well over Sam Johnson’s bar.
A freekick in Town’s own half from goalkeeper Sam Johnson tried to catch Nick Hayes out but he was able to save on the line.
At the start of the second half, a mazy run from his own half from Andrew Oluwabori ran at the heart of the visitors’ defence, looked for Jamie Cooke on his outside but too much on the pass and Hayes was able to claim.
The Shaymen took the lead, and it was worth the wait. A battling run from Adan George down the right-hand side, he beat Collinge for pace. He got to the by-line and his pull back was met perfectly by Jamie Cooke and his first-time shot was into the bottom corner leaving Hayes with no chance.
The visitors weren’t behind for long, Callum Stead’s shot from the edge of the box was parried by Sam Johnson but only to Ben Coker who could tap in from close range.
The ball into the box from Jenkins found its way to the back post, flicked on by Smith and great strength from Adetoro and he forced the ball home for a goal on his debut to put The Shaymen ahead again.
Corner into the box for the visitors came to the edge of the box, the shot was deflected wide from Adetoro for another corner on the opposite side.
Clifford shot from the edge of the box was blocked by Adetoro, Johnson able to punch the corner away.
A late challenge from Kanu on Adetoro saw the Town man go down, then Emmerson was brought down but the officials didn’t see anything wrong and a minute later Owen Bray was booked for a challenge in front of the home dugout.
Town nearly got a third. A freekick from the left-hand side, Evans ball into the box was met by Will Smith and his header was well saved by Nick Hayes and Barnet able to clear
Eight minutes of injury time was signalled at the end of 90 minutes much to the dismay of the home fans.
Festus Arthur came on during his injury time back in action for the Shaymen following injury for Andrew Oluwabori to bolster the Shaymen defence as Barnet looked for the equaliser.
They had a chance to find that equaliser, the cross from the left hand side was met by the head of Joe Kizzi but he could only head wide of the target
Town will entertain Aldershot Town at the Shay next Saturday, 3pm kick-off
Match Stats:
FC Halifax Town: 1 Sam Johnson, 5 Adam Senior, 15 Will Smith, 27 Adam Adetoro, 6 Jack Evans, 20 Jack Jenkins (26 Owen Bray 62), 11 Angelo Cappello (21 Zak Emmerson 82), 22 Andrew Oluwabori (4 Festus Arthur 90), 10 Jamie Cooke, 23 Tom Pugh, 19 Adan George (9 Aaron Cosgrave 87)
Subs: 12 Nathaniel Ford, 24 Frankie Sinfield, 17 Jimiel Chikukwa
Barnet:
1 Nick Hayes, 3 Ben Coker, 4 Danny Collinge © (30 Joe Kizzi 61) , 9 Nicke Kabamba, 10 Callum Stead, 11 Idris Kanu (20 Finley Wilkinson 88), 17 Zak Brunt (12 Harry Chapman 72), 18 Anthony Hartigan, 21 Billy Clifford (7 Jermaine Francis 90) 22 Adebola Oluwo, 26 Myles Kenlock
Subs: 13 Jordan Gillmore, 5 Joe Rye, 6 Jerome Okimo
Referee: Paul Marsden
Goals: Cooke 50, Coker 55, Adetoro 60
Yellow Cards: Jenkins 22, Brunt 45, Kanu 75, Bray 86, Adetoro 90
Red Cards: None
Attendance 1634 (179 away)
FC Halifax Town 2 Barnet 1
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