FC Halifax Town welcomed FC United of Manchester to The Shay on Saturday afternoon in the Isuzu FA Trophy Third Round. The Shaymen began their campaign at this stage of the competition, while FC United arrived having already navigated the earlier rounds, defeating Darlington, Bamber Bridge and Workington to reach this point.
The visitors started brightly, with Michael Donohue testing Sam Johnson from a half-volley following a corner, only to see the effort deflected narrowly wide. Halifax grew into the game and created their first real opportunity on 20 minutes. Owen Bray drove down the right before the ball fell to Cody Johnson. His initial cross was blocked, but the ball was recycled to Jay Turner-Cooke, whose long-range half-volley was comfortably saved by the goalkeeper.
The Shaymen continued to apply pressure. Josh Hmami’s curling effort from just outside the box drifted narrowly wide, while Owen Bray went close with a trademark left-footed strike from the edge of the area that cannoned off the post. FC United threatened on the counter, with Ruben Grewal attempting a chip from 40 yards over a partially off-line Sam Johnson, only for the goalkeeper to scramble back and tip it over.
Halifax almost broke the deadlock in first-half stoppage time. Bray’s dangerous cross from the left was flicked on by Will Smith, only for Rudy Miasambo to make a vital goal-line clearance to keep the scores level at the interval.
The second half began perfectly for the Shaymen. Four minutes after the restart, Jay Turner-Cooke played a threaded through ball to Josh Hmami, who calmly slotted his weaker left foot across the goalkeeper for his ninth goal of the season. Halifax continued to exploit the spaces behind FC United’s defence, with Bray setting up Hmami again moments later, though the forward’s close-range effort went narrowly wide.
Hmami quickly atoned for the miss, with Turner-Cooke again the creator. The midfielder slipped him in on the left side of the area, and Hmami fired a powerful strike across goal into the far corner to make it 2–0.
FC United threatened briefly from a corner, when Misambo’s looping header seemed destined for the far corner, but Sam Johnson was equal to it. Halifax then sealed the tie in emphatic fashion. Substitute Angelo Cappello, introduced for Will Hugill in the 57th minute, fed Will Harris in space beyond the FC United back line. Harris feinted to shoot on his right, spun past Adam Sudworth, and calmly finished past Danny Atherton to make it 3–0.
The scoring wasn’t quite finished. Town broke again, with a swift move leading to an onrushing Owen Devonport going down in the penalty area following a challenge from Atherton. Hmami stepped up and sent the keeper the wrong way from the spot, completing his hat-trick and reaching double figures in all competitions for the season. The goal crowned a dominant performance and ensured Halifax progressed to the Fourth Round in style.
The Fourth Round draw of the Isuzu FA Trophy will take place on Monday at 5:00pm.
FC Halifax Town
1 Sam Johnson ©, 3 Adam Adetoro, 15 Will Smith, 36 Thierry Latty-Fairweather (7 Max Wright 75), 30 Cody Johnson, 4 Will Hugill (11 Angelo Cappello 57), 8 Josh Hmami, 19 AJ Warburton (16 Jevon Mills 84), 17 Owen Bray, 9 Will Harris (31 Owen Devonport 84), 27 Jay Turner-Cooke (20 Jack Jenkins 83)
Subs: 12 Nat Ford, 29 Sean Tarima
FC United of Manchester
1 Daniel Atherton, 2 Matty Thomson, 3 Adam Sudworth, 4 Andre Wisdom, 5 Rudy Misambo, 6 Jan Palinkas, 7 Matthew Grivosti (17 William Clift 90), 8 Michael Donohue © (15 Jordan Buckley 72), 9 Daeshon Lawrence (14 Adam Le Fondre 74), 10 Ruben Grewal (16 Ronald Sithole), 11 Jay Fitzmartin (12 Paul Ennis 73)
Subs: 18 Cameron Pickles
Referee: Andrew Miller
Goals: Hmami 49, 56, 88 (pen) Harris 79
Yellow Cards: Warburton 30, Grivosti 51
Red Cards: None
Attendance 1507 (671 away)
FC Halifax Town 4 FC United of Manchester 0
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