Things were going well for the Shaymen as James Dean bagged a 63rd-minute opener.

But a Wes Milnes header with just three minutes remaining gave the home side a share of the spoils.

With leaders Lancaster City losing this could be seen as a real missed opportunity.

But there was enough in Town's performance to keep spirits high as they created a plethora of chances and hit the woodwork on three occasions.

The downside was that they could take just one of their opportunities, but if they continue to play as they did at College Grove promotion is well within their compass.

The first half was like a 45-minute session of attack against defence, with Wakefield often bringing all 11 men into their own area to defend set pieces.

Consequently, the Shaymen were unable to find a way through, despite enjoying the vast majority of possession.

They could have done with an early goal, and almost got one when Richard Marshall found Aaron Hardy wide on the right but his cross was headed over by Dean.

Marshall sent a Tom Baker corner over at the near post and a Marshall shot, following Scott Phelan's hooked ball forward, was blocked by Aiden Morris.

The onslaught continued and Town went close after 12 minutes when Phelan took the ball off Dean's toes.

The midfielder surged forward before unleashing a 25-yard shot which thudded back off the angle of post and bar.

Harry Winter almost got Nicky Gray away down the middle and when Marshall crossed from the left Dean was unable to connect six yards from goal.

Caldon Henson was fortunate to escape more than a free kick when he handled perilously close to the edge of the area, Winter firing the resulting free kick over.

And the home side survived again in the 27th minute after good work on the left from Danny Lowe.

He took his time before picking his cross which was met on the volley eight yards out by Dean, but home keeper Jan Zolna somehow managed to keep the effort out.

Town hit the woodwork for a second time in the 43rd minute, Gray skimming the top of the bar after latching onto Hardy's neat pass.

And in first half stoppage time the keeper fumbled a ball in from the left only to recover in time to save Phelan's shot.

Town thought they had finally got the breakthrough within a minute of the restart when Dean found Phelan again.

But for his shot once more thumped against the angle of post and bar at the same spot he had hit the woodwork in the first half.

Unlike the opening period, Wakefield actually ventured out of their own half and had a couple of chances of their own.

Milnes headed a Mark Wilson corner down for Andy McManus whose shot was blocked then cleared.

And when Wilson's delivery found Tom Denton a couple of minutes later, another block on the line kept Town level.

The breakthrough Town's play deserved finally arrived in the 63rd minute after Phelan had released Dean down the left.

He skipped past the initial challenge from Henson on his way into the area then took on two more defenders before slotting his shot inside the near post.

Minutes later Phelan. Marshall and Dean combined well down the right only for the ball to be turned behind by a defender.

Milnes gave notice of the threat he posed with a 69th minute header that was hooked clear by Steve Payne.

And Henson sliced a shot from the edge of the area just wide of Jonathan Hedge's left hand upright.

In between, a poor back pass from Milnes allowed Dean to nip in, but he was denied by the legs of the keeper.

And Phelan was denied for a third time, this time by Zolna, who dived full length to his right to save after Dean and Gray had done well in the build up.

Gray's low shot, from a Winter pass, was also saved by the keeper before the sting in the tail arrived as Milnes got on the end of a Lewis Nightingale cross to head the home side level.

But there was still time for the Shaymen to push for a winner, Gray denied by a Henson block after he got on the end of a long Winter cross and Dean almost capitalising on Baker's low cross from the right.

MATCH FACTS
Wakefield: Zolna, Henson, Morris (Milnes 48), Roberts, R Laight., C Laight, Denton, Wilson (Ferguson 82), Howarth, McManus (Nightingale 73). Subs (not used): Kyriacou, Glavin.
Goal: Milnes 83
Booked: MacManus (foul 60), Roberts (foul 70), Wilson (foul 80), Henson (foul 89),
Sent-off: None

FC Halifax Town: Hedge, Hardy, Lowe, Payne, Crossley, Phelan, Baker, Winter, Gray, Marshall (Riley 73) , Dean. Subs (not used): Senior, Hotte, Peers, Codman.
Goal: Dean 63
Booked: Gray (foul 65)
Sent-off: None

Attendance: 659
Referee: J Price

STAR SHAYMAN
It was almost non stop Town pressure at College Grove and more often than not the attacks started with one man - Tom Baker.

The Halifax midfielder ran the show from start to finish, perhaps liberated by the presence of two other specialist central midfielders in Scott Phelan and Harry Winter.

It was the first time the trio had started a game together - it will not be the last

Once again, Town's cutting edge was provided by James Dean.

His goal was a real solo effort as he took on three defenders on the left before firing the ball inside the near post.

But he held the ball up well throughout and might have bagged a late winner but for a desperate block.

Phelan must go down as the unluckiest of all the players on the field.
He twice unleashed 25-yard efforts only to see the ball thud back off the crossbar.

And if that was not enough, he was denied by a full length save from Jan Zolna after a shot from the edge of the area.

Baker takes the three points on offer in our season-long competition with Dean two and Phelan one.

PLAYER POINTS
Marshall 32, James Dean 27, Gray 25, Payne 19, Baker 18, Crossley 15, Lowe 14, Riley 13, Phelan 12, Hedge 10, Codman 9, Hotte 7, Hardy 6, Harry Winter 3, Richardson 3, Harrison 2, Peers 2, Luke Dean 2.