Men's 1sts through to Yorkshire Cup Semi Final!!!

Buoyed by their 9-0 league win the day before, Matthew Graham’s side began the game at a frantic tempo. However, the typical tale of the season so far is that Halifax take too long to settle into their stride and they made the worst of starts, finding themselves 2-0 down after ten minutes from penalty corner strikes; the first after the defence failed to clear from keeper Matthew Metcalfe’s save, the second after a lucky bobble saw the ball land at the unmarked Park striker, who made no mistake for 2 yards.

Halifax fought back with some excellent wide play from Josh Foreman and Matthew Bairstow. It was Bairstow’s run and pass that set up leading goal-scorer, Jake Bamforth, who scored from close range.

Bamforth grabbed his second from a well worked short corner, before the away side took the lead on the stroke of half time. This time it was Gabe Coleman who burst from his own half, beating three defenders, before Bairstow applied the finishing touch as the ball was about to cross the line.

At half time, the team talk was about Halifax now pushing on for the victory against a rattled home side.

However disaster struck within the first five minutes. Firstly, Park equalised as Dave Wheatley’s attempted clearance deflected to an unmarked striker, who smashed home from the middle of the D. Then the home side took the lead with a freak own goal, with the ball seemingly travelling harmlessly out of play striking Bairstow’s shin and flying into the top of the net past a stranded Metcalfe.

As in the first half, Graham’s men dug deep and turned the tie around.

Josh Barron’s drive up the right wing found Graham 20 yards from goal. He beat two defenders, broke into the D and scored with an exquisite reverse strike that landed in the bottom corner.

Bamforth completed his second hat-trick of the weekend after great work from Pete Balmforth and then Halifax secured their semi-final spot with the goal of the game. Henry Shelton, having his best game of the season at sweeper, found Bamforth in space in the middle. His first time ball found Bairstow on the right and he played a quick one-two with Graham before calmly lobbing the advancing keeper with the ball on his reverse side.

Halifax now face Rotherham at Park Lane on 17th November.