The Shaymen soar past Salisbury at The Shay as Skrill Premier top goal scorer Lee Gregory hits a hat-trick past The Whites.
Gregory with three striker’s goals, Lois Maynard with a goal from a corner and Josh Wilson with a sweet finish on the final whistle sends FC Halifax above Salisbury and all the way up to seventh in the Skrill Premier table on Tuesday night.
The first Shaymen with of the calendar year only had one blip when Jamie White made it 4-1 with an unstoppable strike inside the box.
FC Halifax looked in control from start to finish and Salisbury was brought down to ten men five minutes from time as Theo Lewis was unable to stop the flying winger Ryan Crowther.
It was the perfect start for The Shaymen with the first goal coming just three minutes into the match when Crowther paced down the left side, he then fed the ball into Scott Mcmanus who played a perfectly weighted pass to the far post where Gregory was waiting to smash the ball in from two yards.
Town continued to look dangerous when Wilson caught Clovis Kamdjo dilly dallying on the ball, Wilson passed to Gregory who tried a couple of step overs before passing to Adam Smith who fired wide.
Jamie White had The Whites first shot on target ten minutes into the match, White latched onto a long pass but hit his strike straight at Matt Glennon.
Town’s second goal in an impressive opening fifteen minutes came when Salisbury goalkeeper Will Puddy patted down Crowther’s in swinging corner straight to the feet of Maynard who was able to pass it into the near corner.
Sailsbury’s Lewis put a spring back into the southerner’s steps as his run down the right side to put Town under pressure and after a mix up in defence Glennon was fast off his line to perform a good save that came out to Lewis who shot far over the bar.
The turf fooled Simon Ainge at 27 minutes when the ball bobbled horribly for the Town defender. White latched onto the loose ball and found himself through on goal but Glennon saved White’s shot superbly low to his right side.
Just before half-time Crowther tried his luck from distance which was blocked and fell to Maynard with the crowd shouting shoot Maynard unleashed to low drive which was gathered easily by Puddy.
After the break Salisbury came out of the traps well and Whites top goal scorer Dan Fitchett tried his luck from 25 yards and saw his shot hit the inside of the right box roll on the goal line and all the way out for a goal kick.
Town gained back the momentum when Crowther and Gregory linked up down the left, Crowther played a slick pass into the path of Gregory who curled a h
Town’s third goal came with a poachers finish from Gregory after Crowther’s powerful shot was parried by Puddy only onto the goal line and Gregory arrived first on the scene to fire home his second and nineteenth of the season.
Moments after the Town third goal, Crowther paced down the left side again leaving the Salisbury full back in his wake played a wonderful low cross toward Gregory who could quite get their first before James Clarke.
Salisbury in need of an answer to the goals of Gregory so they found Fitchett on the end of the penalty area, he then hit a powerful shot at goal but Glennon was there to make another terrific stop.
Substitute Marlon Jackson stretched his legs brilliantly down the right in the West Yorkshire rain and even managed to shimmy his way into the box, he had Gregory and Crowther square but nobody begrudged Jackson the shot as he fired over the bar.
The shots kept coming at The Shay as Marshall moments later hit his left footed strike over.
Gregory was fouled in the box by the sorry Salisbury defenders and the Skrill top goalscorer stepped up to seal his hat-trick with a bit of good fortune from the spot as Puddy got a hand to the powerful penalty but it was not enough as the ball bounced over the line to the relief of the hat-trick hero.
Salisbury did manage a consolation goal through White as he pounded home from six yards out after Glennon had once again made a few smart stops.
Town bossed possession of the ball and looked at ease as they have done all season at The Shay, Crowther was about to chase through on goal and was deliberately dragged down by Lewis and referee Christopher Kavanagh gave him his marching orders.
The final action of the match was yet another Shaymen goal and it came as Gregory slid a brilliant ball to Wilson who finished his one-on-one with aplomb to seal an emphatic 5-1 thrashing.
Teams
FC Halifax Town: Glennon, Challinor, Roberts, Ainge, McManus, Smith, Marshall, Maynard, Wilson, Crowther, Gregory
Salisbury: Puddy, Ryan, Clarke, Wilson, McPhee, White, Lewis, Frear, Kamdjo, Fitchett, McDonald
Goals: Gregory, 3, 53, 72 Maynard, 15 White 78, Wilson 90+3
Yellow cards: Ryan 81
Red Cards, Lewis 89
Subs: 45, Wellard, Sinclair, 60,Jackson, 65, Dutton, 71 Bolton, 80 Clay
Attendance: 1003 15 away
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