A feisty affair between these two sides from the get go and Craig Dundas and Kieron Cadogan immediately looked like the danger men for the home side.
Dundas nearly found himself in within the first 10 minutes as he managed to get goal side of McManus, who went down, and looked to be one on one against Johnson but the referee came to Town’s rescue and awarded the away side a free kick.
Sutton were denied twice by the woodwork within the first 45 minutes and looked dangerous on the break. Taylor found himself with space to turn in the box, but his shot could only find the post before Cadogan burst past his man just ten minutes later and unleashed a cannon of a shot that crashed back off the bar.
However, it wasn’t all Sutton United. Middleton delivered a wonderful corner which was met brilliantly by a Halifax head and would have nestled in the bottom corner if not for a superb diving save from goalkeeper Jamie Butler.
A fierce game between the two sides and it all boiled over following a late Brown challenge and all 22 players were involved in some afters before eventually it was pulled apart and Middleton went into the book, one of many yellow cards in this game.
Halifax looked like they were excellent value to go in at half time at 0-0 but Lafayette had other ideas. Cadogan showed great pace to skip past his man before finding the number 9 who fired a superb shot in off the near post to give Sutton the lead in added time.
A killer blow for Halifax who, it could be argued, may have been deemed the better side in the first half however they went into the break trailing.
Halifax continued where they left off in the second half and looked dangerous on the counter. Denton and Batty showing good link up play in the Sutton half and were knocking the ball well following the introduction of Connor Oliver.
However, it was Sutton who doubled their lead just before the hour mark. Kenny David does well to skip past two men before floating a ball onto the head of Lafayette. The striker’s header comes off the bar but is turned in by Dundas to give Sutton some breathing space.
The Shaymen were breathing down their neck less than five minutes later, though, as Tom Denton got on the end of a Danny Batty cross to nod into the bottom corner to half the deficit.
A hectic game and it wasn’t long before Sutton restored their two-goal advantage. A poor goal to give up from a Halifax point of view, a long ball delivered into the box from a free kick was headed home by Lafayette for his second of the game. A real kick in the teeth for Halifax who had worked so hard to get back into the game.
Lafayette nearly had his hat-trick just 30 seconds later as he dragged a half volley wide of his post and it looked bleak for Billy’s side.
Yet, Halifax were handed a lifeline as Danny Clarke was bundled over in the box and referee Neil Hair pointed straight to the spot to award Halifax a penalty and another way back into this game.
Captain Matty Brown stepped up but unfortunately his powerful effort straight down the middle cannoned off the bar and Sutton escaped.
Less than five minutes later, however, the dream was back on as Scott Garner thundered in the rebound from a Tom Denton header from a corner and Sutton led by one once more.
Halifax pushed and threw everyone forward yet it wasn’t to be, and Sutton ran out 3-2 winners at Gander Green Lane and were deserved winners in the end. A frustrating game and an even more unlucky one, but some definite positives to be taken from the performance.
Halifax travel to Hartlepool on Tuesday and will be hoping they can continue this respectable performance and turn it into three points.
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