FC Halifax Town ensured a play-off place with a 3-0 away victory away at Eastleigh in an early kick-off.
The Shaymen started the day in 7th place and knew that a win would guarantee a place in the play-offs despite what was happening in the games at Dagenham & Southend United and goals from Adan George, Jamie Cooke and Max Wright ensured all three points.
Town boss Chris Millington made five changes from Thursday night’s starting eleven that played Oldham Athletic at the SMH Stadium in Chesterfield with Luke Summerfield, Kane Thompson-Sommers, Max Wright, Adan George and Jamie Cooke all in at the Silverlake Stadium.
The home side started brightly; a cross from the right-hand side saw Paul McCallum’s header off the bar but the offside flag was up against the Spitfires top goalscorer.
A ball from Luke Summerfield into the path of Jack Evans at the edge of the box saw Town’s first effort curled over the bar in the 4th minute.
In the 9th minute, a long throw into the Town box was headed by McCallum onto the roof of the net for a goal kick.
Nigel Atangana had time and space, he chose to shoot from distance, but it was never troubling Sam Johnson and went well over the bar.
Good work from Andrew Oluwabori on the left-hand side, he cut inside and forced the first save of the game from goalkeeper Joe McDonnell for a corner.
Oluwabori had time and space on the left-hand side, again he cut inside but this time his shot was wide of the target.
Town took the lead on 27 minutes; the home side had a player down injured following a challenge in midfield, but Town carried on. Andrew Oluwabori down the left-hand side and his cross was met by Adan George and his shot was off the post and in for his second goal in two games.
George was the first man in the book 10 minutes late for a foul on the touchline from referee Stephen Parkinson.
Good work from Corey Panter took him past Luke Summerfield but his shot was over the bar from 30 yards out as the home side looked for an equaliser.
Town had the ball in the net, a freekick was met by Andrew Oluwabori and he fired home, but the assistant referee’s flag was up for offside against the Town frontman.
The home side had the first opportunity of the second half, a right ring cross was not dealt with and McCallum turned in the box his shot narrowly went past the post for a goal kick.
Town worked the ball out to the right-hand side before finding Jamie Cooke centrally, he turned but his shot from 25 yards was always going away from goal and out for another goal kick.
Town doubled the lead on 61 minutes. A freekick from Sam Johnson from his own half, headed by a defender in the air to Oluwabori. He found Cooke and his low effort beat McDonnell for 2-0 for his third goal of the season.
The home side looked to bounce back. A ball in behind was chipped across the six-yard box but good defending from Golden to head behind for a corner before Town broke through Oluwabori to the edge of the box but his effort was deflected wide for a corner.
A third goal arrived with 20 minutes remaining. A throw on the left-hand side to Oluwabori, he found Wright 25 yards from goal, and he fired past McDonnell for 3-0.
A comfortable afternoon for Chris Millington’s side, in the closing stages Festus Arthur came on for Tylor Golden for his first appearance of the season following a loan spell at Southport.
Town will face an away trip to Altrincham in the Vanarama National League play-offs.
Eastleigh
1 Joe McDonnell, 4 Nigel Atangana (30 Will Merry 62 / 21 Oscar Rutherford 73), 6 Ludwig Francillette, 9 Paul McCallum ©, 11 Enzio Boldewijn, 12 George Langston, 14 Lee Hodson, 16 Solomon Nwabuokei, 19 Corey Pantey, 20 Scott Quigley (17 Chris Maguire 54) 33 Jake Vokins
Subs: 2 Brennan Camp, 23 Ben Greenwood
FC Halifax Town
1 Sam Johnson ©, 2 Tylor Golden (30 Festus Arthur 87), 5 Adam Senior, 6 Jamie Stott, 12 Jack Evans, 4 Luke Summerfield, 14 Kane Thompson-Sommers, 22 Andrew Oluwabori (19 Aaron Cosgrave 83), 17 Max Wright, 27 Adan George (8 Jack Hunter 65) 10 Jamie Cooke
Subs: 9 Rob Harker, 28 Jack Jenkins
Referee: Stephen Parkinson
Goals: George 27, Cooke 62, Wright 70
Yellow Cards: George 38, Panter 66
Red Cards: None
Attendance: 2408 (120 away)
Eastleigh 0 FC Halifax Town 3
Read more posts by Kelly Gilchrist
;
