FC Halifax Town have kept their play-off hopes alive following a 2-1 away victory at Maidenhead United. With midweek games to come for other sides the exact permutations for next Saturday won’t be known until closer to next weekend.
Top scorer and Maidenhead born Jake Hyde returned to the starting line-up following injury and he was joined up front by Darren Stephenson as Pete Wild made 2 changes to the starting eleven that faced Dagenham & Redbridge a week ago.
The hosts started well with Neill Byrne clearing from dangerous situations, the second from Danilo Orsi’s scuffed goalbound shot. Town countered with as break down the left side, but Jack Senior’s cross was taken by Reading loanee James Holden in the Maidenhead goal. Holden was forced to tip a Luke Summerfield cross out for a corner as Town pressed and Jake Hyde glanced a header wide of the target from a Summerfield cross.
Maidenhead midfielder Ryan Upward received a yellow card for a foul on Summerfield and from the resulting free kick Town worked the ball to Stephenson whose low left foot effort was saved by Holden. Stephenson and King both had further efforts saved as did Summerfield. Maidenhead did threaten with a dangerous Orsi cross that evaded Sam Barrett at the far post.
Trickery on the left from Jeff King brought another foul from Upward with Tom Reeves waving a 2nd yellow card. Town had a man advantage and soon had a goal advantage in the 43rd minute. A right-wing cross was cleared for a corner and Summerfield’s inswinger was glanced home by Hyde.
The Shaymen began the 2nd half brightly. Home skipper Alan Massey had to clear from a dangerous cross and Town had the ball in the net in the 50th minute but were denied by an Assistant’s flag. Sam Johnson saved with his feet to deny Orsi, but the 2nd goal arrived in the 57th minute when Jeff King won a free kick in a central position 25 yards from goal. King’s curling right foot shot beat the wall and nestled in the bottom corner of the net for his 6th goal of the season.
Maidenhead pulled a goal back in the 63rd minute. A long throw on the left was flicked on by Rowan Ince and Orsi pounced to net his 20th goal of the season from close range.
King was denied by keeper Holden after being set up by Summerfield and the keeper pulled off a fingertip save to deny the same player moments later. Sam Johnson saved from Dan Sparkes but Town saw out the remainder of the game to record another away victory that keeps the season alive going into the final game of the season.
Match Stats:
Maidenhead United: 26 James Holden, 24 Alan Massey ©, 3 George Wells, 5 Manny Parry, 16 Ryheem Sheckleford, 7 Josh Coley (2 Jerry Wiltshire 85), 11 Dan Sparkes, 14 Rohan Ince, 25 Sam Barratt (12 Brad Keetch 73), 19 Ryan Upward, 10 Danilo Orsi
Subs: 15 Seth Twumasi, 17 Reece Smith
FC Halifax Town: 1 Sam Johnson, 2 Jeff King (33 Tahvon Campbell 90), 3 Jack Senior, 4 Nathan Clarke ©, 5 Neill Byrne, 8 Kieran Green (20 Dom Tear 83), 9 Jake Hyde, 19 Luke Summerfield, 26 Martin Woods, 28 Darren Stephenson, 31 Niall Maher
Subs: 12 Davison Harrison-Hale, 6 Tom Bradbury, 30 Kian Spence
Referee: Tom Reeves
Goals Hyde 44, King 57, Orsi 63
Yellow Cards Upward 26, Ince 68, Senior 82, Hyde 90
Red Cards Upward 38
Maidenhead United 1 FC Halifax Town 2
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