The Shaymen travelled to the Laithwaite Community Stadium this afternoon to take on Woking in the final fixture of the 2025/26 campaign, and they signed off the season with a hard-fought late victory.
Woking got the game underway for the final time this season, but Town nearly made the perfect start inside the opening 12 seconds. Will Harris pressed high to win possession from The Cards before attempting to chip the Woking goalkeeper, only to see his effort drift narrowly wide of the left-hand post.
The home side responded well and began to settle after five minutes, forcing The Shaymen onto the back foot with a spell of early pressure. However, Adam Lakeland’s side remained organised at the back and dealt with everything thrown at them.
Woking came close to opening the scoring when Jake Forster-Caskey picked the ball up on the edge of the box and fired towards goal. Sam Johnson parried the initial strike before reacting brilliantly to deny the rebound and keep the scores level.
The Cards won the first corner of the afternoon after 17 minutes. The delivery caused problems inside the Town area and Harry Beautyman met the cross well, but he could only guide his effort wide of the target.
Woking continued to threaten and soon worked another opening when Ollie Sanderson found space outside the box. His low effort was comfortably gathered by Johnson.
Town then began to grow into the contest and won their first corner in the 20th minute. Josh Hmami’s delivery found Jay Turner-Cooke on the edge of the area, but his attempt to get a shot away was blocked well by the home defence.
Will Hugill then conceded a free-kick inside the Shaymen half after pulling back Steven Turner. Forster-Caskey sent the resulting ball into the area towards Chinwike Okoli, but the defender could not keep his header down.
The visitors won another corner in the 27th minute and came close to taking the lead after a scramble inside the box. The ball was eventually worked back to Hobson, who struck a half-volley from inside the area, but his effort rolled wide of the post.
Town were now enjoying their best spell of the half. Hmami, Harris and Hugill linked up well in attack, with Hmami slipping a pass towards Hugill on the right, only for a superb challenge from the Woking defence to snuff out the danger.
Both sides continued to look for an opener before the break, but neither could find the final ball in the attacking third.
Woking almost punished a loose moment in the 43rd minute when Turner-Cooke lost possession inside his own half. The hosts looked certain to score, only for Will Smith to produce a superb piece of defending to preserve parity.
The referee added two minutes at the end of the first half, during which Dylan Crowe entered the book for a strong challenge on Matt Ward.
The Shaymen started the second half brightly and immediately pushed Woking backwards, although the home defence stood firm.
Town should have taken the lead in the 50th minute when Smith surged forward from the back before delivering a dangerous cross towards Harris, but the striker was unable to make contact with his header.
The pressure continued moments later after another scramble on the edge of the Woking box. Hmami fed Hugill, who could not find room to shoot and instead squared for Hobson, but the defender was also crowded out.
Town kept their momentum going and Cody Johnson soon tested the goalkeeper with a strike on target, with the keeper forced to react quickly before scrambling to stop Harris from pouncing on the loose ball.
Lakeland’s side were well on top during the opening ten minutes of the second half, creating several promising moments, but they were unable to apply the finishing touch.
Johnson then produced another dangerous run in the 55th minute, driving into the Woking penalty area before attempting to square for Harris, but the forward was surrounded by defenders before he could shoot.
Woking responded with a chance of their own when Beautyman worked space inside the area, only for Hobson to block bravely. The hosts recycled possession and came again, but Cody Johnson threw himself in the way to deny them.
Will Smith was shown a yellow card in the 59th minute after bringing down Caled Richards.
Woking made the first substitutions of the game on the hour mark, with Jamie Andrews replaced by Dale Gorman and Harry Beautyman making way for Kian Pennant.
Lakeland then turned to his bench in the 65th minute as Dylan Crowe was replaced by Jamie Cooke, making his first appearance since November 25.
Forster-Caskey and Hmami both required treatment in the 69th minute after a strong 50/50 challenge, before Gorman became Woking’s first booking after colliding with Turner-Cooke.
Further Town changes followed in the 72nd minute, with Owen Bray replacing Hugill and Kieran Morris coming on for AJ Warburton.
Turner-Cooke was booked himself in the 75th minute for a late challenge on Timi Odusina.
Woking nearly found the breakthrough in the 77th minute when Gorman picked out Okoli, who delicately lifted the ball over Johnson, but Smith was perfectly placed to clear off the line.
The hosts made another change in the 80th minute as Jake Hyde replaced Forster-Caskey. Following a brief water break, Lakeland introduced Thomas Lavery for Smith and David Kawa for Hmami.
Woking had another huge chance in the 86th minute after winning a free-kick. Gorman delivered an excellent ball into the area and Hyde met it well, but Johnson produced an outstanding save to keep Town level.
The decisive moment arrived in the 90th minute. Turner-Cooke threaded a pass through for Harris, but although the striker could not reach it, Okoli’s attempted pass back to goalkeeper Will Jaaskelainen and the ball went into the empty net.
Tempers flared after the goal, with Harris, Cody Johnson and Timi Odusina all shown yellow cards during added time.
It mattered little to Town, though, as The Shaymen held firm to claim all three points and end the season on a winning note.
Woking
22 Will Jääskeläinen, 2 Aaron Drewe, 3 Caleb Richards, 4 Chinwike Okoli, 5 Timi Odusina, 6 Jamie Andrews (8 Dale Gorman 60), 7 Harry Beautyman (c) (28 Kian Pennant 60) 11 Matt Ward, 24 Steven Turner, 25 Jake Forster-Caskey (19 Jake Hyde 80), 30 Oliver Sanderson
Subs: 13 Craig Ross, 20 Sam Ashford, 32 Joden Trickett, 37 Kemall Wilson
FC Halifax Town
1 Sam Johnson (c), 4 Will Hugill (28 Kieron Morris 73), 5 Shaun Hobson, 8 Josh Hmami (22 David Kawa 82), 9 Will Harris, 15 Will Smith (33 Tommy Lavery 73), 19 AJ Warburton (17 Owen Bray 73), 23 Dylan Crowe (10 Jamie Cooke 66), 24 Ashley Palmer, 27 Jay Turner-Cooke, 30 Cody Johnson
Subs: 12 Nat Ford
Referee: Greg Rollason
Goals: Jääskeläinen (og) 90
Yellow Cards: Crowe 45 + 1, Smith 60, Gorman 72, Turner-Cooke 75, Odisina 90 Harris 90, C Johnson 90
Red Cards: None
Attendance: 3000 (102 away)
Woking 0 FC Halifax Town 1
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