FC Halifax Town completed a confident performance with a 4-2 win at home to Dover Athletic. A brace from confirmed Town taking all three points.
The game began with a touching tribute to Jordan Sinnott who passed away on Saturday. Matty Brown and Kevin Lokko presented the shirts in Jordan’s honour with Sinnott 25 on the back of each. Which was followed by a minute’s silence.
Dover had the first real chance of the game as Town failed to clear their lines. The ball was played into the box and deflected to Inih Effiong who took his shoot first time but could not keep it in on target as it rolled wide.
The Shaymen had their first real chance on the tenth minute. Danny Williams swung it in from the right and a poor clearance from Taylor gifted Jack Redshaw the ball. A first-time shot went narrowly wide and into the side netting.
Town found the breakthrough in the 14th minute. The ball fell to Devante Rodney in the box and he saw his shot deflect J King. Once again his shot was blocked and fell back to Rodney. After a few good touches Rodney got the ball onto his right foot and he found the bottom left corner.
Despite Halifax picking up, Dover pulled level. A low cross played into the box failed to find a Dover man, but it took a deflection off the leg of Jerome Binnom-Williams to make it 1-1.
J King showed great strength to hold off his man and ride a challenge, but the referee blew for a free kick. J King took and put a dangerous ball into the box which Dover just about cleared away.
With just one-minute added time, Cameron King did well to win Town a corner. Redshaw whipped it in and found Jerome Binnom-Williams in the middle who rose highest to head past Yussuf Mersin and make it 2-1.
It took just four minutes into the second half for Dover to equalise again. Jai Reason with an excellent through ball picked out Michael Woods one-on-one with Sam Johnson and it would have been harder to miss as he made it 2-2.
13 minutes into the second half Dover won a corner. Whipped in by Taylor, Staunton could only head behind for another corner. Reason swung it in towards the back post and Lokko’s header went narrowly wide.
On the 66th minute Town took the lead for the third time thanks to the games second own goal. A low cross was fired into the Dover box and Lokko attempted the clearance which fired off the head of Will De-Havilland and into the back of the net.
Dover thought they had another equaliser three minutes later after Effiong headed in from close range. However, referee Andrew Miller saw a foul on Johnson after Effiong jumped into him as they went for the ball. Reason got booked in the aftermath.
Town continued to attack as J King saw his shot deflect for a corner. The ball nearly found Nathan Clarke but went behind for a second corner. The cross came in and found Binnom-Williams, but his header went well over.
The Shaymen continued to dominate as they got the fourth goal 12 minutes from time. A rapid counterattack saw Rodney play a spectacular ball for substitute Jamie Allen to go through. Allen got his head up and squared it to Rodney in the box who squeezed it under Mersin to go 4-2 up.
The result sees the Shaymen jump to 4th in the Vanarama National League, meanwhile Dover remain 12th. Town have another home game next up as we entertain Bromley.
FC Halifax Town: 1 Sam Johnson, 3 Jerome Binnom-Williams 4 Nathan Clarke ©, 10 Cameron King, 14 Josh Staunton, 20 Jeff King (2 Michael Duckworth 81’), 21 Danny Williams, 22 Charlie Cooper (6 Liam Nolan 73’), 23 Jack Redshaw (7 Jamie Allen 60’), 31 Niall Maher, 35 Devante Rodney
Unused subs: 11 Tobi Sho-Silva, 12 Will Appleyard
Dover Athletic: 1 Yussuf Merson, 2 Josh Passley, 3 Bobby-Joe Taylor (16 Paul Rooney 74’), 5 Kevin Lokko ©, 6 Will De-Havilland, 7 Jai Reason, 8 Michael Wood, 9 Inih Effiong, 18 Oscar Gobern, 19 Steven Rigg (14 Adeoye Yussuf 74’), 23 Shadrach Ogie
Unused subs: 11 Jack Munns, 1, 15 Kurtis Cumberbatch, 26 Aaron Simpson
Goals: Rodney 14’ 78’, Binnom-Williams 20’ (OG) 45’, Woods 49’, De-Havilland 66’ (OG)
Yellow Cards: J King 30’, Ogie 36’, De-Havilland 65’, Cooper 69’, Reason 70’
Red Cards: None
Attendance: 1726 (29)
FC Halifax Town 4 Dover Athletic 2
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