The Shaymen lost 2-1 at Home to Bromley despite a late goal by Neill Byrne.
The home side looked to dominate possession early on but struggled to get hold of the ball in the first ten minutes with good pressure applied from the visiting side. Jeff King looked the liveliest of the Shaymen in the first half with good link up play with Martin Woods.
Soon after, in the twelfth minute Bromley were awarded a penalty for a late challenge by Danny Williams who went into the book for the foul. Michael Cheek had brought the ball from the outside of the box and took it past three Shaymen shirts before being brought down. The Ravens number Nine stepped up to take the penalty in which he blasted down the middle sending Johnson the wrong way.
Bromley continued the press and were the better side after the goal. They had a plethora of corners in the first half with none of them resulting in any clear chance. Kieran Green found himself the second Shayman in the book for a late challenge.
One of Halifax’s main chances came in the middle of the first half with a challenge on Green in which Billy Bingham found himself being the first away player in the book. Woods’ free kick was driven deep towards Jake Hyde’s head but the ball was just nicked off him.
Two minutes of added time were added on however, Halifax could create anything. They went into the break 1-0 down.
The home side started the second half strongest with chances early for Williams and Chadwick but both opportunities collected comfortably by Bromley Keeper Mark Cousins. Andy Woodman made a change within five minutes of the second half seeing Michael Cheek be replaced by James Alabi.
The Shaymen had a flurry of chances starting with a free kick that was won by Jeff King. Playing quickly King dribbled through the defence with his shot eventually blocked. Followed by Maher and Woods shots which were also blocked.
Neill Byrne had Halifax’s best opportunity of the game after some dominant possession. A wonderful ball in from Woods was brought down by Hyde and the ball landed at the Dublin defender’s feet but his shot rattled the side netting.
Halifax continued the pressure and dominated the ball a lot more in the middle of the second half but couldn’t seem to break down a resolute defence.
A possible shout for a red card as Jeff King’s raised boot towards a Bromley player brought the touchline to life but the referee only found it to be a yellow. Which made it his eleventh yellow of the season.
The Shaymen made their first change of the game soon after with Billy Chadwick making way for Jamie Allen. Senior also made his way onto the pitch shortly after for Danny Williams.
Another chance came with five minutes to go for Jake Hyde as the ball rolled across him when clean through on goal thanks to a Summerfield pass, but the striker snatched the ball as it went across him going out for a goal kick.
With five minutes added on chances came thick and fast but Bromley’s resolute defending resulted in mounting pressure and a break away in the last few minutes resulted in a goal for the away side by James Alabi. The ball dropped to his feet and the striker coolly slotted home.
However, Green won a free kick for the home side and what looked like a training ground drill from King, Woods and Summerfield found Byrne at the back post who rifled it home to pull it back to 2-1. Sadly, that wasn’t enough for the home side who remained 5th despite the loss.
Halifax will return back to the Shay on Tuesday in another crucial match against Woking at 7pm.
Match Stats
FC Halifax Town: 1 Sam Johnson, 2 Jeff King, 4 Nathan Clarke ©, 5 Neill Byrne, 8 Kieran Green, 9 Jake Hyde, 11 Danny Williams (3 Jack Senior 81), 19 Luke Summerfield, 26 Martin Woods, 31 Niall Maher, 36 Billy Chadwick (7 Jamie Allen 78)
Subs: 12 Harrison Davison-Hale, 6 Tom Bradbury, 30 Kian Spence
1 Mark Cousins, 2 Joe Kizzi, 3 Charlie Fox, 4 Billy Bingham, 5 Chris Bush ©, 7 Luke Coulson, 9 Michael Cheek (10 James Alabi 52), 18 Ben Williamson, 20 Jude Arthurs (27 Tate Campbell 81), 24 Jack Bridge (16 Liam Trotter 68), 26 Alex Mitchell
Subs: 8 Frankie Raymond, 22 Liam Vincent
Referee: Scott Simpson
Yellow Cards: Williams 14, Bingham 24, Green 45, King 76
Goals: Cheek 14 pen, Alabi 90, Byrne 90
FC Halifax Town 1 Bromley 2
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