FA CUP 1st Rd, Globe Arena, Saturday 10 November 2018. 3pm.

Attendance – 1736 with 531 from Halifax.

Shrimps – Halstead Mills Conlan Old Lavelle Wildig Cranston Mandeville Oates Leitch-Smith Oliver subs used Ellison for Oates and Oswell for Oates both on 58, Tutte for Cranston 66.

AFC Halifax – Johnson Clarke Brown c Skarz Hanson Staunton King Sellers Maher Southwell Odelusi subs used Preston fro Odelusi 68, Edwards for Southwell 81.

Ref – Darren Drysdale, surprisingly didn’t make it all about him, which made a nice change. It took 17 minutes for the first free kick for either side so a quiet day for him. very obvious shove in the back on Oliver in the first half which was pen but otherwise fine.

Weather – Dry, pitch still looking flat and green, slight breeze but pleasant.

Yellow cards MFC None – Halifax, Skarz 25, Odelusi 56, Maher  73

Steve Old returned in place of Joe Yarney as Halstead kept his place with Baz still not fully fit.

The game started brightly, with the Shaymen’s 3-5-2 making good use of the width in the opening minutes. However the home side settled into the game and established a rhythm, with shots from Oates and Cranston forcing full stretch saves from Johnson. The resulting corners were defended well in the air but still the Shrimps pressed. Ajay had another effort parried away and Oliver couldn’t field the rebound. The visitors offered little in the final third but were alert at the back. Odelusi went through Mandeville crudely on the touchline as his rough treatment continued. A yellow card was needed to calm the away side down and this warranted it but didn’t arrive. Despite a string of last ditch tackles and corners, resolute defending and some wayward finishing kept the game scoreless at half time in what was a sterile atmosphere almost played at a pre season friendly pace.

Both managers appeared to have asked their team to step up as the game was theirs for the taking. Rhys Oates burst free and had his cross shot cleared off the line by Brown in the first minute of the second period, brilliant defending. Oliver had an effort well saved from outside the box as the game shifted up a gear. Mandy was crudely upended again by Odelusi, at last a yellow was brandished, and quickly both Mandy and Oates departed as Kev and Oswell arrived as we went more direct. Tutte replaced Cranston, a Conlan cross was deflected onto his own bar by Clarke with the keeper beaten but the danger was cleared. Within a minute Vadaine then surprised everyone with an acrobatic overhead kick which was just wide, it was starting to feel as if it wasn’t our day. 7 shots on target all repelled.

In injury time Mills lost out on a midfield header and Two broke, King releasing Sellers whose cross was met by the sub Preston, who headed home, however the flag was up, thankfully it was tight but correct, so their only effort on target didn’t count.

So it ended goalless and its back to the Shay a week Tuesday to resume this war of the roses, a home tie with Wimbledon awaits the winner, who were fortunate to be in the hat themselves after a poor show at Haringey Borough.

Halifax rode their luck on the day, but so did we against Yeovil last week, so well done to them, and the over 500 supporters they brought. But it isn’t over yet.

Does creating loads of chances and not taking them sound familiar? I think Vadaine had great game, but we don’t carry threat in the 18 yard box, someone who can pop in a cross, or arrive and slot home, perhaps Oswell?? Who knows?

Freez