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FC Halifax Town: Harrogate RA 2 FC Halifax Town 0
TOWN may still top Unibond One North but they will not be there for much longer if yesterday's embarrassing defeat at Station View is anything to go by.
They were helped by the fact that Lancaster, Bamber Bridge and Ossett Albion were all thwarted by the New Year's Day freeze.
And by the end of their trip to North Yorkshire they must have wished their game had been called off as well.
In short, the Shaymen lacked passion, were second best in just about every department and were unable to make any real impression on the opposition goal.
And all this against a team that was no more than an average pub side.
The difference was that Harrogate, who had won just four of their previous 20 league games, had a greater desire and were willing to work hard for each other.
Tom Baker and Nigel Jemson aside, there was precious little of that in the Town ranks and they could have few complaints about the final result.
The first half was an eminently forgettable affair, with few clear cut chances at either end and the half time raffle announcement causing more of a stir in the crowd.
Town did manage a couple of early headers, but efforts from Paul Collins, after Ajay Leitch-Smith had helped the ball on, and Nigel Jemson, from a Jon Smith free kick, floated harmlessly into the arms of home keeper Jordan Yorath.
Leitch-Smith almost made something of a touch from Paul Gedman after 15 minutes, but his shot on the turn from the edge of the area under pressure flew wide of the target.
A Steve Smith free kick that curled well wide was all Harrogate offered in return as the Shaymen dominated without ever looking really threatening.
There was a half chance in the 22nd minute with Jemson and Smith both getting touches to an Allen corner but the ball flew just too far in front of Lincoln Adams for him to get a touch.
Tom Baker came closer than anyone to breaking the deadlock with a 30-yard free kick following a foul on Gedman, Yorath tipping a dipping and curling effort over for a corner.
There was a scare before the break when Scott Jackson retrieved Steve Smith's corner and sent it back into the area, but Scott Ryan fired over from eight yards.
Boosted by the belief gained from holding Town in the first half, Harrogate were more adventurous after the break with Kennedy forced to palm away a Steve Smith cross and Jemson having to clear from a Craig Smith free kick.
Ritchie Sutton got back to deny Benji Jones soon after, but the pressure finally told on the hour when the home side broke the deadlock.
Former Shay junior Craig Smith, who had faced his old club while playing for Silsden in the FA Cup earlier this season, fed the ball through for Jackson on the right and he rifled home a shot.
If that was a setback, Town suffered a footballing disaster two minutes later when Steve Smith got into the area on the left and fired home to double Railway's lead.
Having failed to pierce the home defence when the game was goalless, there seemed little hope for Halifax once they were two down.
Ashley Stott, on for Leitch-Smith, did have the ball in the back of the net after latching onto a flick from fellow substitute Junior Brown but was denied by the linesman's flag.
Brown and Baker both delivered decent balls into the area from the right soon after, but there was no one there to capitalise.
And when it looked like the Shaymen were going to be thrown a lifeline with a rocket shot from Collins, Ryan Haigh popped up to head off the line.
There was a moment of high farce when Steve Ball, who had been replaced by Dan Thirkell, remained on the pitch to take a free kick.
The referee's attention was eventually drawn to the error and, after cautioning the Railway defender, sent him packing.
Town had one final chance to grab a consolation in the first minute of stoppage time when a Jemson cross floated onto the angel of post and bar.
Brown tried to force home the rebound but the battling Harrogate defence stood firm and blocked the ball out for a corner.
STAR SHAYMAN
Of the Town squad players at Station View it was Luke Hinsley, Neil Ross, Scott Phelan, Danny Meadowcroft and Ross Clegg who benefited most - by not playing.
Of those who did, two - Tom Baker and Nigel Jemson - showed the kind of passion expected by the large travelling contingent.
Unfortunately, to win a game you need more than two players doing well.
Baker almost fired Town in front in the first half with a beautifully struck free kick.
But once his passes started to go astray in the second period, you knew it was going to be a miserable afternoon for the Shaymen.
Jemson popped up just about everywhere on the pitch, doing his bit and barking out instructions.
He might have had a late consolation goal as well, but was denied by the woodwork.
Junior Brown made a welcome return from injury and illness at half time and made an impression down the right, but once Railway struck with a quickfire double even he was not going to be able to alter the outcome.
Baker gets three points in our season-long competition with Jemson taking two and Brown one.
MATCH FACTS
Harrogate Railway Athletic: Yorath, Haigh, Ball (Thirkell 85), West, Riley, Ryder, Ryan (Henry 73), C Smith (Shaw 85), Jones, Jackson, S Smith. Subs (not used): Chattoe, Sutcliffe.
Booked: C Smith (foul 19), Riley (foul 32), Ball (unsporting behaviour 86)
Sent off: None
Goals: Jackson 60, S Smith 62
FC Halifax Town: Kennedy, Coo, Collins, Jemson, Adams Sutton, Smith (Stott 60), Baker, Allen, Leitch-Smith (Brown 46), Gedman. Subs (not used): Hinsley, Ross.
Booked: Smith (foul 41)
Sent off: None
Goals: None
Attendance: 704
Referee: N Bannister
PLAYER POINTSJunior Brown 26, Tom Baker 23, Scott Phelan 17, Jonathan Smith 16, Paul Gedman 11, Colin Daniel 10, Peter Moore 10, Ashley Stott 10, Jon Kennedy 9, Nigel Jemson 6, Cavell Coo 5, Damien Allen 4, Adam Morning 4, Lincoln Adams 4, Paul Collins 4, Steve Payne 3, Craig Smith 2, Justin Walker 2, Luke Hinsley 2, Danny Ellis 1, Phil Senior 1.
YOU SAY
Total garbage. That performance was not acceptable. Either sort it out Mr Vince or get out! - Fed up Shayman.
No desire, no ball, no defence, no idea. Promotion? Dream on! - Blue boy
Just not good enough, exposed defensively again. Need to learn patience and to work for each other. Seem too scared to shoot at goal, the list could go on, this ain't promotion form it's relegation form. Now sort it out Shaymen - Adie B
No fight, no commitment, no hope - Bewildered Town fan.
Leaving the top scorer on the bench for a half fit kid is madness, as were the clueless tactics - M
What will Vince's waffle be after this latest dire performance? - angry andy
Having failed to pierce the home defence when the game was goalless, there seemed little hope for Halifax once they were two down.
Ashley Stott, on for Leitch-Smith, did have the ball in the back of the net after latching onto a flick from fellow substitute Junior Brown but was denied by the linesman’s flag.
Brown and Baker both delivered decent balls into the area from the right soon after, but there was no one there to capitalise.
And when it looked like the Shaymen were going to be thrown a lifeline with a rocket shot from Collins, Ryan Haigh popped up to head off the line.
There was a moment of high farce when Steve Ball, who had been replaced by Dan Thirkell, remained on the pitch to take a free kick.
The referee’s attention was eventually drawn to the error and, after cautioning the Railway defender, sent him packing.
Town had one final chance to grab a consolation in the first minute of stoppage time when a Jemson cross floated onto the angel of post and bar.
Brown tried to force home the rebound but the battling Harrogate defence stood firm and blocked the ball out for a corner.
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Weather for Halifax
Friday 10 February 2012
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