HALIFAX Town's Blue Square Premier future is hanging by a thread after they crashed to their third successive defeat since going into administration.

And in many ways, yesterday's reverse at rock bottom Droylsden could be the most damaging of the three as the players sank to the ground on the whistle with chants from sections of a big following for the head of boss Chris Wilder ringing in their ears.

A trip to Exeter at the weekend promises little and the hopes of an entire season now look like they will rest on a run of three home games - against Forest Green, Kidderminster and Ebbsfleet - in a six day spell.

It was not as if Shaymen did not have chances - or very good appeals for a couple of penalties.

The stats had a familiar look to them - 15 shots for Town to Droylsden's five, two of which went in, and 11 corners to two in the visitors' favour.

But in the end they could find no way through the Droylsden defence even after the 66th-minute dismissal of former Halifax defender Greg Strong.

He had done his job by then, scything down Halifax frontman Andy Campbell late in the first half and forcing him to leave the field before the break.

The Shaymen had already lost Adam Quinn early on and with Jon Shaw not even making the squad because of an injury picked up against Oxford, things went on a downward spiral.

Yet it could have all been so different had Campbell been able to take one - or both - of the early chances he had to put Town ahead.

The first came after just 25 seconds, Lewis Killeen playing the ball through on the left only for Campbell's shot to be turned away by keeper Paul Phillips.

The rebound struck Strong, but even at that early stage Halifax had no luck as Steve Halford got back to clear.

Within 90 seconds Tom Kearney's ball forward allowed Campbell to swap passes with Danny Forrest, but he fired weakly at goal and Phillips saved again.

Having failed to take the early chances, it was almost inevitable that Droylsden would go to the other end and score - and they did.

Steve Daly whipped the ball in from the left in the sixth minute, Jake Wright stuck out a leg to clear but only as far as Jamie Maguire who fired it into the bottom corner of the net.

Craig Mawson did well moments later to deny Maguire a second, although the linesman's flag ought to have done the job before the Town keeper had to.

Quinn limped from the field after 16 minutes, but the Town defence had little to do for the remainder of the first half as the Shaymen looked for a way back.

Forrest appeared to have been felled in the area as he was about to shoot - he had no reason to go down when in such a good position - but nothing was given.

Campbell latched onto an Anthony Griffith pass only to have another effort saved and Forrest's attempt to turn home the rebound was cleared off the line by Strong.

Then, six minutes before the break, Matt Doughty's free kick came back off the wall to Kearney whose left foot effort was palmed away by the keeper.

Town forced a couple of corners early in the second half but suffered a fatal blow in the 53rd minute when a Killeen pass went astray on halfway, the ball was played forward for Terry Fearns and he lashed home from 18 yards.

Two shots, two goals.

Forrest's shot on the turn inside the area was blocked before Strong saw red for a rash challenge on the Town man as he went through.
Simon Ainge could only head a Wright cross over the top with 20 minutes remaining and as the seconds ticked away so did Town's hopes.
When Killeen's 85th-minute effort deflected wide Halifax knew their number was up although there was still time for Forrest to get in another shot, which crept just off target.