FC Halifax Town picked up their first win of the season, beating a beleaguered Scunthorpe United 2-0.
In a game the Shaymen never really looked like losing, goals either side of half time from Kian Spence and Jordan Slew gave Chris Millington his first win as Town manager and a first away clean sheet of the season.
Town looked the more likely of the teams to break the deadlock during the early stages, with Cappello finding Harvey Gilmour inside the box, but Iron captain Andrew Boyce was well positioned to block the Town midfielder’s attempt.
Out of nothing, Scunthorpe broke free down the left hand side with Joe Nuttall, who raced through on goal but was denied by Sam Johnson, making his 300th Shaymen appearance. Town then brought the ball out from the back and launched an attack of their own, with Cappello eventually bending an effort just over the bar from the edge of the box.
A sustained period of pressure from Town culminated in Dieseruvwe meeting a Jamie Stott cross with his head, but the effort was a tame one, easily gathered by Marcus Dewhurst. It was then Scunthorpe’s turn to quickly launch an attack, with Nuttall finding space in the box again before a last ditch sliding challenge from Jesse Debrah.
Town took a deserved lead 38 minutes in, when Harvey Gilmour was brought down by Jacob Butterfield 30 yards from goal. Kian Spence’s effort from the free kick took a heavy deflection that helped the ball beyond Dewhurst.
Town finding themselves in front for the first time this season clearly revitalized Chris Millington’s men, and some good work between Gilmour and the lively Cappello saw the Belizean forward fire just over from 20 yards. Jamie Stott then found himself on the end of a low cross in the six yard box, but the experienced Boyce threw himself in front of the effort to force a Town corner that came to nothing.
Scunthorpe introduced Liam Feeney and Rob Apter from the bench at half time, and it was Apter who had the first half-chance of the second period, firing wide of Johnson’s goal from distance. Town then took the ball up to the other end of the pitch and some smooth link-up play on the left flank between Jack Senior and Cappello saw the latter fire the ball across the face of the goal, but couldn’t find a yellow shirt on the end of it.
Scunthorpe could’ve pulled level 10 minutes into the second half when the ball fell to an unmarked Nat Wallace in the box, but his scuffed effort was easily gathered by Johnson. Minutes later, Wallace was tripped by Spence 25 yards from goal, and Nuttall’s effort from the free kick took a deflection and looped just wide of the net. Town were then able to clear the resulting corner.
Town then could’ve doubled their lead if not for some fantastic goalkeeping from Dewhurst. Spence’s left-footed volley after a bit of pinballing in the box was stopped by a spectacular low save from the Scunthorpe keeper.
Johnson was called into action after some lovely play between the two Scunthorpe substitutes Feeney and Apter, who bore down on goal but drilled his effort into the Shaymen stopper.
Town should’ve killed the game off with just over 15 minutes to play, with substitute Jordan Slew nodding wide unmarked at the back post from a floated Sam Minihan cross.
Scunthorpe applied pressure in the final 5 minutes, but Town weathered the storm and finally secured all three points when Dewhurst came way out of his goal to receive a throw-in. His clearance was intercepted by Jack Hunter who found Slew, who then carried the ball into the box before dribbling past two men and slotting into an empty net.
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