The 22-year-old defender has signed a one-year deal with new club FC Halifax Town, having captained the side in Saturday's 2-0 friendly match win at Alsager.

It is quite a turn of events for the former Barnsley player, who had six months at Bradford City before joining the old Town club in the Blue Square Premier in January.

Harban made nine appearances in all competitions for Town, including two as a substitute, before being told by Wilder that he could leave on a free alongside Daryl Taylor and Craig Mawson on June 20.

The six footer has been training with Farsley Celtic but has opted to join Jim Vince's hastily put together squad for the Unibond League First Division North campaign which begins at home to Bamber Bridge on Saturday, August 16.

Town, meanwhile, made it third time lucky in pre-season games on Saturday, having previously lost 2-0 at Tamworth and 1-0 at the Shay to Bury, who now have Wilder as No 2 to former Shay centre half Alan Knill.

Vince rested the players who had earned contracts with bold performances in the previous two games when the Shaymen went to Alsager and must have been pleased with the showings of his various trialists in the sweltering conditions.

Town got a grip on the contest in the first half and scored both their goals.

Colin Hunter will go down as the scorer of the new club's first ever goal and it was a good one too - a long-range shot which went in via an upright after six minutes.

Joe Brown went close with a header for the Shaymen and then Hunter picked up a loose ball and burst into the penalty area before setting up Kyle Buckley for Town's second.

Tom Greaves might have had a third before the break while Alsager's greatest escape in the second period came when a Hunter effort was kept out by the home keeper's feet.

Vince made numerous changes in the energy-sapping conditions and the replacements included his assistant Nigel Jemson and past Shay player David German.

Town continue their build-up to the new campaign away to Conference North outfit Alfreton Town tomorrow and then head to Ashton on Saturday.

TOWN: P.Senior, T.Harban, L.Hindley, L.Adams, L.Smith, T.Lennon, K.Buckley, R.Caliste, J.Brown, T.Greaves, C.Hunter. Subs: D.Proffitt, D.German, N.Jemson, C.Ellison.