FC Halifax Town took the field at The Technique Stadium with two changes to the starting line-up that beat King’s Lynn at the weekend with Club Captain Nathan Clarke returning together with Kieran Green. Tom Bradbury and the injured Jack Earing were the men to miss out for the battle of the two play-off chasing sides. It was Pete Wild’s men that triumphed following a 2-1 win with first half goals from Jeff King and Jake Hyde with Chesterfield pulling a goal back in the 2nd period through Kairo Mitchell’s first goal for the Club.
The Spireites started well with Sam Johnson saving well after Mandeville and Whelan exchanged passes. Mitchell also had a shot saved but it was Pete Wild’s Shaymen who took the lead in the 8th minute. A Town free kick was cleared to Martin Woods who found Jeff King on the edge of the penalty area and his low shot evaded everyone in a packed penalty area and nestled in the corner of the net.
Chesterfield responded with a number of attacks but Sam Johnson wasn’t tested. Town remained a threat on the counter attack with Jake Hyde and Billy Chadwick lively. Hyde’s 30 yard shot cleared the bar but he was in the thick of the action on the half hour mark when he doubled Town’s advantage. Martin Woods’ corner on the right was cleared back to Woods and his precise cross was emphatically headed home by Hyde from six yards out.
A flowing move involving King and Hyde almost got Chadwick in on goal but the hosts averted the danger with and the half ended with FC Halifax Town enjoying a two goal advantage.
Town started the 2nd period in a similar way, on the attack. Jeff King won the ball from Laurence McGuire and found Chadwick whose shot was deflected across goal and was narrowly missed by Jake Hyde at the far post. A surging run from King provided Hyde with a shooting opportunity which was blocked.
As expected the hosts threw men forward and started to dominate possession. The outstanding Nathan Clarke headed off his own line after substitute Nathan Tyson’s cross was deflected towards the net and Tyson was off target with an effort six yards from goal. Fraser Kerr had a shot deflected over before Chesterfield pulled a goal back in the 71st minute. A long ball into the box wasn’t cleared and Kairo Mitchell netted.
Substitute Jamie Allen who replaced the hard working Billy Chadwick broke up field but failed to pick out a pass on a rare Town foray forward. Curtis Weston shot went wide in the 87th minute and Town were grateful for a Sam Johnson save from Fraser Kerr in stoppage time and the game ended in a 2 – 1 victory for The Shaymen moving Town up to 5th in the table which is a great reward for a battling effort full of quality and sheer determination.
Match Stats:
Chesterfield: 35 James Montgomery, 6 George Carline, 33 Gavin Gunning, 32 Fraser Kerr, 6 Liam Maguire, 29 Alex Whittle (18 Nathan Tyson), 8 Curtis Weston, 38 Manny Oyeleke, 22 Tom Whelan (15 Joel Taylor 55), 10 Liam Mandeville (16 Jack Clarke 80), 34 Kairo Mitchell
Subs: 4 Josef Yarney, 11 Marcus Dinanga
FC Halifax Town: 1 Sam Johnson, 2 Jeff King. 4 Nathan Clarke, 5 Neill Byrne, 8 Kieran Green, 9 Jake Hyde, 11 Danny Williams, 19 Luke Summerfield, 26 Martin Woods (30 Kian Spence 62), 31 Niall Maher, 36 Billy Chadwick (7 Jamie Allen 69)
Subs: 12 Harrison Davison-Hale, 3 Jack Senior, 6 Tom Bradbury
Goals: King 8, Hyde 29, Mitchell 70
Yellow Cards: Oyeleke 35, Kerr 81, Oyeleke 90, Carline 90, King 90, Johnson 90
Red Cards: None
Chesterfield 1 FC Halifax Town 2
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