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Durham City 1 FC Halifax Town 1: Shaymen pegged back
IF only Halifax Town had played like this in every game this season.
Had that been the case, the Shaymen would not be fretting about whether they can clinch a play-off place. They would have been well on the way to becoming champions.
Jim Vince's side showed grit, determination, effort and no little skill as they wiped the floor with Unibond One North leaders Durham on their own plastic patch.
But a moment of cruel luck early in the second half, when Ritchie Sutton's outstretched leg deflected the ball past Jon Kennedy, cancelled out Danny Meadow-croft's opening goal.
And that, combined with a decent display from home keeper Craig Turns, ensured the Shaymen returned from the north east with just a point rather than all three.
Town suffered an early blow when Paul Collins went down clutching his knee in the seventh minute, never to return.
And they might have gone behind soon after when Tommy English and Stephen Capper combined to create an opening for Mattie Moffatt, who fired wide when well placed.
Ashley Stott beat defender Stephen Harrison only to fire wide as the Shaymen started to get into the game.
And a Paul Evans free kick caused all sorts of problems in the home defence in the 19th minute with Junior Brown, Lincoln Adams and Meadowcroft all getting touches before the ball was eventually cleared.
Home keeper Turns was forced to race out of goal to deny Stott as he latched onto a poor Michael Laws back pass in the 23rd minute.
Town's pressure finally paid off 60 seconds later after Dixon had climbed all over Nigel Jemson to conceded a free kick.
Evans curled the ball into the area and Meadowcroft did well to scoop it into the back of the net.
Meadowcroft was in action at the other end moments later, clearing the ball off the line after Moffatt had looked to capitalise on Jon Kennedy's parry from a Laws shot.
Meadowcroft became the second Halifax player to be forced from the field as he popped his shoulder when he collided with the post as he cleared.
The Shaymen continued to push forward and Evans fired into the side netting before a Mark Peers free kick was turned round the post by Turns.
And, with half time fast approaching, Evans picked out Peers on the left and he lifted the ball back for Stott, whose well struck volley was beaten away by the keeper.
Durham got a lucky break six minutes into the second half when substitute John Toft pulled the ball back for Dodds.
His shot appeared to be heading wide of the left post when Sutton slid in to clear but could only divert it past the wrong-footed Kennedy.
David Duke tried to pass the ball into the net moments later when a blast might have served him better.
And for a minute or two it looked like the home side might start to get on top.
But the Shaymen responded and were denied a second goal in the 55th minute by the referee's whistle as he spotted a foul on Turns as Jemson headed a Peers cross into the net.
Rather than deflating Vince's team, it seemed to spur them on as Peers fired a shot at Turns from 30 yards before Junior Brown forced the keeper to dive to his left and save.
Peers sent another shot over the angle of post and bar before Stott chased down a seemingly lost cause on the right before pulling the ball back for Damien Allen, who arrived late and was unable to keep his shot down.
Durham saw their share of the ball but rarely in a dangerous position, Stephen Capper overrunning it when he might have done better after swapping passes with Gavin Cogdon on the left.
MATCH FACTS
Durham City: Turns, Harson, Capper, Dodds, Dixon, Laws, Duke, Bell (Toft 46), Moffat, Gogdon, English (Richardson 70). Subs (not used): Smith, Morris, Johnston.
Booked: Dodds (foul 40), Dixon (foul 62), Duke (foul 64), Richardson (diving 84)
Sent-off: None
Goal: Dodds 51
FC Halifax Town: Kennedy, Coo (Adams 10), Collins, Meadowcroft (Allen 30), Barras, Evans, Sutton, J Brown, Peers, Jemson (D Brown 80), Stott. Subs (not used): Senior, Barnes.
Booked: Sutton (foul 76)
Sent-off: None
Goal: Meadowcroft 24
Attendance: 744
Referee: N Sharp
STAR SHAYMAN
By his own admission, Mark Peers is still some way off full fitness.
If that is the case Town's fans are in for a treat when he is fully fit.
The winger likes nothing more than cutting in from either flank and having a dig at goal and he did that on several occasions at Durham.
He also showed what a threat he can be from set pieces with a free kick that had goal written all over it until the home keeper dived at full stretch to turn the ball round the post.
As injuries begin to bite hard, players are going to have to show their versatility.
And while eyebrows were raised when Ritchie Sutton started in midfield, there were few complaints about his performance in the opening 20 minutes.
He then switched back to central defence when Danny Meadowcroft was forced from the field and was extremely unlucky with the deflection that gave Durham their goal.
Paul Evans also impressed in central midfield, providing the organisational voice his years of experience have given him.
Peers takes the three points in our season long competition with Sutton getting two and Evans one.
PLAYER POINTS
Junior Brown 32, Tom Baker 30, Ashley Stott 19, Scott Phelan 17, Jonathan Smith 16, Nigel Jemson 11, Paul Gedman 11, Colin Daniel 10, Peter Moore 10, Jon Kennedy 9, Cavell Coo 7, Damien Allen 7, Lincoln Adams 6, Mark Peers 5, Ritchie Sutton 4, Adam Morning 4, Paul Collins 4, Michael Barnes 3, Steve Payne 3, Neil Ross 3, Paul Evans 3, Craig Smith 2, Justin Walker 2, Luke Hinsley 2, Craig Ellison 2, Danny Ellis 1, Phil Senior 1.
YOU SAY
Shame we didn't win. Three points from 12 is poor though, need six points from six in next two home games if we want to be in the play offs - Bri
Good performance that deserved three points. Keep going and we can still go up - andy
True grit. Thanks lads. Onwards and upwards - 9.06 Lads
Happy as Larry with that passion and pride. The Railway Children
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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