Debutant Ryan Crowther experienced mixed emotions on Saturday as FC Halifax Town were defeated 3-1 against Lincoln City at the Sincil Bank ground in the Skrill Premier League.
The attacking winger scored Town’s only goal of the afternoon, and showed exactly why Neil Aspin immediately snapped him up following his departure from Fleetwood Town FC.
Although finding the net and halving Halifax’s then deficit, Crowther believes that his new side were unlucky from the very first touch of the ball. With Ben Tomlinson scoring twice for the hosts within the first eleven minutes, it was always going to be an ever increasing uphill battle.
He said: “Within the first 10 to 15 minutes we didn’t come out of the blocks. They got two quick goals and immediately put us on the back foot early on. Second half we came out and had a go. We had a few chances and nicked the ball on the break which is really difficult, but we kept our heads and kept on on putting pressure on their goal. We were unlucky, it just seemed like it didn’t want to go in for us today.
“It was a set-back. The game plan changes a little bit when you have to come out and chase it, and they nicked it on the break again. We were on the back foot, chasing the game. We have to start the game better than that, start the game on the front foot, put other teams on the back foot and start positively. We will look to take that into Tuesday and improve on that.”
After heading into the interval 2-0 down, Aspin’s side instantly set about searching for their first of the afternoon at the restart, and were awarded when Crowther converted a free-kick from 30 yards away from goal. The wind may have helped to beat Lincoln’s Paul Farman, but nonetheless, the midfielder was left happy after notching on his debut.
“It was one of them where you try to cross the ball, but everyone misses it. You just have to make sure that you put it on target so that it will go in the back stick. I felt that the keeper should have done better, but you will take any goal and I am pleased to get my first goal for the club.”
Moments after it looked possible for Halifax to get back into the game, Tomlinson scored his third goal of the afternoon, putting any result for the Shaymen into doubt. However, the former Stockport County trainee remains positive that himself, and his new team-mates, can learn from the defeat.
“It just takes it out of you. You’ve just got a goal back but it’s 2-1. If you get another then it’s 2-2, but to be pegged back again to 3-1, it took the stuffing out of us a little bit. We kept going, we still had chances to get the draw or maybe win the game. We just have to take the positives and create chances, If we were creating chances then it would be different. We just need to tighten up at the back and I am sure that we will be fine.”
Crowther was released from Fleetwood last Thursday, and within a few hours became one of Aspin’s latest additions to the squad, alongside former Shayman James Bolton. The Play-Offs has become a target for the winger, who is aiming to try and give Halifax that one final push.
“The aMBition of the club (the reason for joining). It wants to go places. I dropped down from full-time to part-time, but I keep myself fit. I am hoping we get into the Play-Offs and obviously we are not that far away. If you can sneak into the Play-Offs, you never know what is going to happen.”
Although only being with the squad for a few days, Crowther has revealed that he has sensed a exciting atmosphere around the club, and expressed his desire to step out onto the Shay’s turf once again, but this time in Halifax’s blue and white.
He said: “It has a good bunch of lads, a good gaffer and good staff. There is a buzz around the changing rooms and trying to have a good season. It is all positive and I hope that we can take it into Tuesday, pick ourselves up and go again.
“The home record has been good. It has been a fortress at home basically. I have played there before for Hyde. It is a great stadium with great fans, who I’m sure will get behind the team. Hopefully we can carry on with the home form going into Tuesday.”
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