FC Halifax Town picked up all three points after a battling performance away from home.
Adan George was the only change for Town as they took on Boston United in the Vanarama National League.
It took less than a minute for the game’s only goal, and it came for the Shaymen. Andrew Oluwabori drove down the left-hand side; he got round his man and then chopped back before putting a strike towards goal, which took a deflection on the way through. This was his second goal of the season after scoring against Dagenham and Redbridge back in August.
It really should have been all square just minutes later. A Cameron Green delivery found Michael Bostwick at the back post, whose diving header narrowly missed the target. Scott High then had a duo of shots on goal, which were superbly blocked to deny Halifax a second.
A mess up at the back gave Sam Osborne the chance to attack the goal; he rounded Sam Johnson, but the ball trickled out of play, much to the relief of the Town defence.
A Halifax corner saw the game’s next chance come; a whipped delivery was missed by Boston keeper Aidan Stone. Adam Senior tried to take advantage of this, but his header flew over the woodwork.
Scott High saw the game’s first yellow card for kicking the ball away at the half hour mark. Moments later, a lovely free-flowing counterattack, started by Oluwabori, gave High the chance to strike, but his effort fell wide of the mark.
Just before halftime, Boston received their first yellow card of the game as Finley Welch on his debut saw his name go into the book for a challenge on Senior.
Oluwabori once again found himself free on the left-hand side, which had been a lucrative source of joy for Halifax in the first half; this time, however, his effort on goal was high and wide.
Osborne had two good chances to equalise for the home side just after the restart; the first came after a good run down the right-hand side, but a brilliant Jo Cummings block stopped an inevitable goal. Osborne then found himself with space once more, but his shot rose narrowly over Johnson’s goal.
Coates then beat Johnson to a loose ball, which saw the goal gaping, but a brilliant goal line clearance from Will Smith kept the game in Halifax’s favour. The resulting corner then gave Bostwick a chance to score but his header missed the target.
For the second time in the match, Town received a booking for kicking the ball away; this time Adan George was the suspect.
Both sides made the first change of the game on the hour mark, with Owen Bray replacing Scott High for the visitors and Jai Rowe coming on for Kieran Coates for Boston. Jamie Cooke then went into the book for a foul on Welch.
With twenty minutes from time, Welch picked out Keaton Ward, whose tame effort was comfortably gathered by Johnson.
Both teams then turned to the bench once more as Halifax introduced Florent Hoti and Adam Adetoto in place of Jamie Cooke and Oluwabori. Boston brought on wingers Oluwalopemiwa Aderoju and Frankie Maguire. This was Adetoro’s first game back since Maidenhead United in September.
Boston had a massive chance to equalise late on through Rowe; he had lots of space at the back post, but his effort was blocked. Seconds later, Welch took aim, but his effort ricocheted off the post.
Halifax had to play three minutes of stoppage time with just ten men, as Adan George picked up a second yellow for dissent. Despite this, the Shaymen defended excellently to see out the game and pick up their 6th win of the season.
Match Stats
Boston United
39 Aidan Stone, 2 Kieran Coates (12 Jai Rowe 62), 3 Cameron Green 5 Michael Bostwick ©, 7 Keaton Ward, 9 Jacob Hazel, 14 Finley Welch (22 Frankie Maguire 82), 19 Jordan Richards, 21 Sam Osborne (17 Remi Aderoju 74), 23 Zak Mills, 24 Dylan Hill
Subs: 6 Tom Leak, 10 Adam Marriott, Jude Frostick, 25 Ellis Craven
FC Halifax Town
1 Sam Johnson ©, 3 Ryan Galvin, 5 Adam Senior, 15 Will Smith, 2 Jo Cummings, 6 Jack Evans, 30 Scott High (26 Owen Bray 63), 10 Jamie Cooke (18 Florent Hoti 72) 29 Billy Waters, 19 Adan George, 22 Andrew Oluwabori (27 Adam Adetori 82)
Subs: 12 Nathaniel Ford, 14 Harvey Sutcliffe, 20 Jack Jenkins, 23 Tom Pugh
Referee: Paul Cooper
Goals: Oluwabori 1
Yellow Cards High 29, Welch 43, George 60, Mills 63, Cooke 68, Ward 71, Bostwick 75, George 90
Red Cards: George 90
Attendance: 1720 (188 away)
Boston United 0 FC Halifax Town 1
Read more posts by Finley Carter
