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FC Halifax Town v Colwyn Bay: Shaymen have to close in on leaders

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Published Date: 12 March 2010
TOWN boss Neil Aspin has called on his players to close the gap on Unibond One North leaders Lancaster City to just one point with victory over Colwyn Bay at the Shay tomorrow (3.0).
Halifax are currently four points behind the leaders, but City do not play which gives the Shaymen the chance to put pressure on their title rivals.

And the Town chief knows how important the game against the fourth-placed Welshmen is in terms of the race for the championship.

"This is our game in hand and we must keep the pressure on Lancaster," said Aspin.

"By the end of the game we want to have closed the gap to one point, but by the same token Colwyn Bay need to beat us.

"If they do, they still have to go to Lancaster and if they win there as well they are right back in it."

Town go into the game with 14 wins from 15 home games in the league and having scored 21 goals in their last six at the Shay.

But Colwyn are likely to provide the biggest test to date having picked up a division-high 11 victories on their travels.

"Colwyn have won a lot of games away from home so must be doing something right," said Aspin.

"They are difficult opponents and a side who, at the start of the season, you would have predicted would be at the top end of the table.

"We will have to play well to get a result."

The Shaymen defeated Bay 3-0 in north Wales on the opening day of the season with goals from James Dean (2) and Richard Marshall.

The match was played in front of a season-high crowd of 854 at Llanelian Road.

It is likely to be another bumper gate at the Shay tomorrow, potentially threatening the two 1,500-plus gates that saw Town's game with Garforth and Curzon Ashton earlier in the campaign.

"The game is a chance to attract anther big crowd," said Aspin. "And it really makes a difference."

Town will be forced to make a change in midfield following the departure of Harry Winter.

He will be missed and Aspin revealed that the Shaymen had put in a bid to sign him after he was recalled by Northwich - but that was rejected by the cash-strapped Conference North outfit.

"The club and its directors tried everything they could to sign Harry," he said.

"Northwich turned our bids down."

Three players appear to be in contention to replace Winter in the starting line-up - Paul Sykes, back from his stint on loan at Ossett Town, Andrew Lee and Mark Peers.

Sykes played in the season-opener at Colwyn Bay while Lee was a second half substitute at Warrington in midweek.

Ryan Crossley returned from illness to take his place on the bench last week and could return in a three man central defence.

It is not clear whether Mark Hotte is ready to return after missing the last two matches for family reasons.

But Dan Codman will not be involved after it was confirmed that he has been released.
The defender had been absent for a couple of weeks with no one at the club able to contact him.

FC Halifax Town (from): Hedge, Hardy, Lowe, Crossley, Riley, Phelan, Baker, Gray, Marshall, Dean, Senior, Peers, Lee, Payne, Hotte, Sykes.

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TOWN'S Unibond One North game at AFC Fylde a week tomorrow is all-ticket and fans going to the game will need to purchase theirs before travelling.
The west coast club has made the decision in order to organise its parking arrangements, stewarding, catering and programme printing.
Tickets will be on sale from Town's main office at the Shay between 9am and 2pm from Monday to Friday next week.
They will also be on sale at tomorrow's game from 1.30pm until kick off and for 15 minutes after the final whistle.
Ticket prices are £7 for adults and £4 for concessions. Under 11s are free.

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  • Last Updated: 12 March 2010 2:07 PM
  • Source: Evening Courier Main
  • Location: Halifax
 
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1

carlosb,

12/03/2010 14:33:18
Come on town !! we have to win the lge cos im working on play off day :( !!
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