Second half goals from substitutes Connor Hughes and Richard Peniket ensure The Shaymen beat League One Sheffield United by two goals to nil.
Hughes’ long-range curler gave the home side the lead before Hughes then turned provider to find Peniket waiting at the back post to tap in his corner.
Halifax enjoyed the best of the early chances. Josh MacDonald’s early twisting run ended with a cross that eventually fell to a spinning Jordan Sinnott, who could only sweep his effort onto the bottom of the post.
Throughout the early periods of the game Sheffield left back Chris Hussey found himself constantly penned back by MacDonald’s trickery. The Shaymen looked by far the better of the two sides.
Cliff Moyo, who joined in the summer from Alfreton Town, is already making himself a fan favourite amongst the Shaymen and he was on hand to block Blades striker Matt Done’s effort from range.
The visitors undoubtedly grew into the game. Mark Duffy began to cause the home side trouble cutting inside on his left foot but failed to produce anything good enough to trouble Steve Drench in the Town goal.
Drench, who conceded a bizarre last minute equalizer away at Frickley at the weekend, made certain Halifax went in to the break level pulling off a fantastic reflex save from close range to deny Paul Coutts.
Half-time changes for both sides couldn’t have had more contrasting outcomes. Four changes for Sheffield United appeared to disrupt the away sides flow. However, the introduction of Hughes and Peniket for the Shaymen gave the home side new attacking impetus.
Halifax broke the deadlock with just twenty minutes left to play, and it was Hughes who found the net to do so. The wide man cut inside and curled his effort low around Aaron Ramsdale in the Blades goal to give Halifax a narrowly deserved lead.
Just five minutes later and the home side had their advantage doubled. Hughes this time turned provider to find fellow substitute Peniket hiding at the back post to force in the games winner. The corner at first looked to have avoided everyone before falling to Peniket who continues his strong preseason after scoring twice at Brighouse a fortnight ago.
Just a minute shy of the final whistle and Man of the Match Cliff Moyo was met with a standing ovation from all 1,363 inside the Shay as he left the field to be replaced by Elliot Harrison.
FC Halifax Town will next face League Two Morecambe at the MBi Shay Stadium next Saturday (3pm).
Halifax Town XI: Drench; Moyo, Garner, Hone, Wilde; MacDonald, Hibbs, King ©, Sinnott; Denton, Burrow.
Substitutes: Peniket (45), Hughes (45), Hotte (45), Kosylo (58), Roberts (68), Nicholson (70), Baldwin (74), Khan (80).
Sheffield United XI: Ramsdale; Brayford, Wilson, O’Connell, Hussey; Coutts, Fleck, Basham, Duffy; Sharp, Done.
Substitutes: McNulty (45), Scoughall (45), Calvert-Lewin (45), Reed (45), Wright (69), Wallace (69), Freeman (69), Whiteman (69), Brooks (69).
Attendance: 1363
MAN OF THE MATCH: Cliff Moyo.
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