Another solid result in a pre-season friendly for FC Halifax Town as they held League 2 side Carlisle United.
The game wasnāt massively impressive with both sides having better chances in the first half. Both defences were solid in the second as the teams seemed to have figured each other out.
The first half got underway and both teams looked to keep up an impressive pre-season so far. The away team, Carlisle hadnāt conceded a goal in their friendlies so far, winning all by considerable margins and FC Halifax only losing one so far at Alfreton.
Halifax had the better chances in the first half with Morgan firing over from 25 yards within the first couple of minutes. Morgan also found himself a couple of other times but for the referee to call a foul for Carlisle as their final defender was pressured to the floor by the lively Halifax forwards.
New boy and former Carlisle player Ben Tomlinson had a great opening to the game, putting himself about and winning the ball back for Halifax. He also had a rocket of an effort from the corner of the 18 yard box which whipped just wide of the far top corner.
A frantic couple of minutes in the middle of the first half saw chances at both ends. A goal mouth scramble in front of Johnsonās goal was eventually cleared by Connor Oliver and the home team went down the other end and had an effort themselves. Winger Josh MacDonald whipped a ball in but Kosylo scuffed his effort of his heel and the ball ended up rolling away from goal.
Kosylo looked even more threatening after his missed opportunity as he fired a low effort just wide of the post minutes later.
Carlisle did have a few chances with Reggie Lambe glancing his header wide from 5 yards out and then Lambe himself and Halam Hope combined and Hopeās effort was straight at Johnson.
In the second half both teams were swapping and changing with many substitutions and formation changes occurring. Both teams found it difficult to break the other down with both defences solid.
A few pop shots from Carlisle were the only chances that seemed to occur early on in the half with the League 2 side finding it difficult to break through the Halifax defence. Mike Jones had the earliest with him dragging his effort wide, and the Carlisle Trialist firing his straight into the steady hands of Sam Johnson in goal. Nicky Adams arguably had the best effort of the half as his effort was always curling away from the far top corner.
FC Halifax did have chances later on as good work from Charles saw him cut back from the by-line but nobody there to finish for the home side. The new signing also had a shot which was deflected wide in the final minute as he tried to make an impact on his first game back at the Shay.
Second half substitute Bohan Dixon also looked lively in the middle of midfield. Driving forward with the ball on a few occasions but could convert with one flying over and one rolling wide after a good save from Jack Bonham in the Carlisle goal.
The game slowed down in the second half as both teams may have been looking to upcoming fixtures. Halifax go to North Ferriby United on Monday with Carlisle having to play Blackburn Rovers in the coming days
FC Halifax Tow: 1 Sam Johnson (88), 2 Cliff Moyo, 3 Scott McManus(76), 4 Adam Morgan(63), 5 Matt Brown(72), 6 Scott Garner(45), 7 Matty Kosylo(45), 8 Nathan Hotte(54), 9 Ben Tomlinson(81), 10 Connor Oliver(58), 11 Josh MacDonald(66)
Subs: 12 Bohan Dixon(58), 13 Tom Nicholson(88), 14 Martin Riley(45), 15 David Lynch(54), 16 Liam King(81), 17 Tom Denton(63), 18 Dion Charles(45), 19 Josh Wilde(76), 20 Jake Hibbs, 21 Ross Barrows, 22 Marko Basic.
Carlisle United: 1 Jack Bonham, 2 Tom Miller, 3 Danny Grainger, 5 Gary Liddle, 6 Tom Parkes, 8 Mike Jones, 9 Halam Hope, 10 Nicky Adams, 19 Reggie Lambe, 20 Shaun Miller, 21 Kevin Etuhu
Subs: 22 Morgan Bacon, 24 Cameron Salkeld, 25 Jordan Holt, 26 Jack Egan, 4 Luke Joyce, 11 Jamie Devitt, 12 Sami Nabi, 15 Shaun Brisley, 21 Mark Ellis, A Trialist.
Attendance: 663
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