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But they will be happy to see the back of a Mossley side who have given them a tough time in two games this season.

Looking for revenge for their 3-1 defeat at Seel Park two months ago, Town started well and thoroughly deserved to go in ahead at the break.
But they were never entirely certain of the points until Junior Brown extended his scoring run to six in six league games in the first minute of stoppage time at the end of the game.

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Brown was at the heart of everything good Town did in the opening 10 minutes of the game and created a couple of good chances for himself.

The first shot was deflected behind for a corner and the second, after he had picked up a pass from Scott Phelan and dumped a defender on his backside, was saved at full stretch by Mossley keeper Ashley Connor.
In between, after a Brown free kick had only been half cleared, Phelan fired a shot across the face of goal from the right and narrowly wide of the far post.

The best Mossley could muster in response at that stage was a 25-yard snap shot from Mike Fish that flew wide.

Town continued to play the better football with a deep Cavell Coo cross was met by Brown and Ashley Stott at the far post, but neither could capitalise.

And Jon Smith's right footed delivery from the left was headed down, at full stretch, by Paul Gedman but straight into the keeper's arms.

Connor just about managed to hold onto Tom Baker's well struck effort midway through the first half, gathering under pressure at the second attempt after the midfielder had unleashed an effort from 25 yards.
Having failed to break through, Town found themselves under a bit of pressure when a Tony Barras free kick was played straight back into the Halifax half for Matt Berkley, but he dragged his shot from the edge of the area wide of the target.

Reece Kelly tried his luck from 30 yards, but his shot was always rising, and Berkley had an effort blocked by Lincoln Adams.

Town's best move of the match came in the 36th minute when Smith, Stott and Gedman were all involved before Phelan's 20 yarder was turned round the post by the keeper.

The breakthrough finally arrived seven minutes before the break after Coo had been dragged down in the area by Nick Challoner and Smith sent Connor the wrong way from the spot.

Having ended the first half on a high, most inside the Shay expected the team to go on and build on it in the second.

But they never really asserted their authority after the break and invited pressure as they failed to hold onto the ball.

Stott had a 25-yarder tipped over the bar and Brown saw a left foot shot blocked by Graham Kay.

But it was Mossley who enjoyed the bulk of the ball although they struggled to make it count.

Nick Boothby's free kick on the left flashed across the edge of the six yard box evading two players sliding in trying to force the ball home.
Challoner almost atoned for his first half challenge on Coo when he turned a corner goalwards, but Kennedy got down smartly to his left to save.

And Chris Hirst managed to head over the top when well placed as he connected with a cross from the right.

Phelan bucked the increasing trend when he nicked the ball on the edge of the Mossley area and fired in a shot that flew just over the bar.

But the main focus was at the other end with Fish firing in a shot from the right hand angle of the area that Kennedy saved at his near post and Hirst also forcing the Town keeper into a save.

The biggest let off came with four minutes remaining when Hirst got away down the right and pulled the ball back for Ryan Cook who sent a shot against the foot of the post and wide.

Town responded with a burst down the right, winning a free-kick from which Smith sent the ball into the area, Stott headed it back into the six yard box and Brown finished.

Star Shayman
Scott Phelan worked tirelessly in the centre of midfield on a night when battling was a key element for the Shaymen.

The former Bradford City man has impressed since arriving at the Shay and his latest performance was one of his best in a Halifax shirt.
Junior Brown extended his scoring run to six in six league games with the goal that finally eased the Town nerves.

But it could have been so much easier for everyone inside the ground had he not been denied by a defender and the Mossley keeper in the opening 10 minutes when he was at the centre of everything.

Cavell Coo showed all of his usual attacking flair down the right but he was also kept busy in defence as Mossley pressed forward in the second half.

Phelan takes the three points on offer in our season-long competition, Brown two and Coo one.

Points
Junior Brown 19, Jonathan Smith 13, Colin Daniel 10, Peter Moore 10, Paul Gedman 9, Phelan 8, Jon Kennedy 6, Scott Ashley Stott 5, Cavell Coo 5, Tom Baker 4, Adam Morning 4, Lincoln Adams 4, Steve Payne 3, Nigel Jemson 2, Craig Smith 2, Justin Walker 2, Damien Allen 2, Phil Senior 1, Luke Hinsley 1 .

Match Facts
FC Halifax Town: Kennedy, Coo, Brown, Barras, Meadowcroft, Adams, Allen (Smith 4), Phelan, Baker, Stott, Gedman. Subs (not used): Ellison, King, Hinsley.
Booked: Adams (foul 74), Meadowcroft (foul 75)
Sent-off: None
Goals: Smith 38pen, Brown 90

Mossley: Connor, Wood, Challoner, Kay, Boothby, Kelly, Self (Cook 46), Bailey (Weston 46), Fish, Berkley, Hirst. Subs (not used): Holt, Egan, Brooke.
Booked: Boothby (foul 3), Wood (foul 49)
Sent-off: None
Goals: None

Attendance: 1,124

Referee: S Ledger

You say
A fairly poor performance overall especially second half. Short of pace up front. Need another striker and a proper left back on board. Saying that to play poorly and still win shows we are a decent side. Ashy.

Not our best performance but 3 pts are 3 pts. I'm not sure playing 3 centre halves is a good tatic. BB