Goals and a win for Mens 1s

With the team fired up and looking to avenge the 2-1 defeat earlier in the season, Halifax started brightly and soon had York under pressure and camped in their half.

Continuing their good form from the previous weeks, Tom Love, Henry Shelton and Josh Sutcliffe were dominating the midfield, building the play and attacks by playing neat passes, particularly out to the right to forward Josh Barron and full back Ben Greenwood - who was being given a lot of time and space to advance.

The early pressure told as Halifax one a couple of short corners. Love sending a straight strike wide and Barron almost deflecting another in at the far post. Love then scored the opening goal with his first of the season. Greenwood and Barron combining down the right, the cross found Love with time and space and his shot went in through the keepers legs.

The second soon followed. Shelton and Love with neat passing through the middle finding Sam Spencer who’s ball back to Sutcliffe allowed him to finish from close range. Halifax then had a 3rd from another short corner. Defender Andy Kaye stepped up from the back and his strike was initially saved by the keeper but Barron was on hand to tuck in at the post.

Buoyed by the great start and the goals finally starting to go in Halifax pressed high up the pitch and from an attempted restart Spencer neatly intercepted a poor restart by York, his pass to Barron was crossed first time and Love was on hand to smash home his second of the game. 4-0. Man of the Match Sutcliffe capped off a superb half with his second, skipping by two defenders into the D and tucking home the rebound after a defender got a block on his initial shot. 5-0 at halftime.

The second half was a closer fought battle as Halifax took their foot off the pedal and York with nothing to lose started throwing caution to the wind. This was leaving gaps in their defence and returning captain Jake Bamforth (after missing 5weeks being away) squandered a great chance to extend the lead further, pushing the ball narrowly wide of the open goal after going round the keeper. Bamforth and Love then both went close again with half chances

At the other end the defensive line of Connor Sutcliffe, David Wheatley and Kaye were breaking down the York attacks, and Keeper Matthew Breton was on hand with a few smart saves on the occasions the attackers broke through. Breton was denied his clean sheet when York scored a consolation goal through a short corner routine.

Final score 5-1. With results going Halifax’s way elsewhere, this leaves them in a much better position in the league with 3 games to go. Next up is a home game against local rivals Bradford where another win could secure Halifax’s league safety.