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FC Halifax Town v Newcastle Blue Star: Blue Star will test the Shaymen's character
As one run ends, so another can begin.
That has to be FC Halifax Town's attitude as they prepare to face Newcastle Blue Star at the Shay tomorrow.
Town saw their seven-match winning run come to an end at Rossendale United last weekend.
And as much as the fact they lost will have hurt, the manner of defeat will have hurt more.
The Shaymen simply never got out of second gear at Dark Lane and the home side took full advantage to score with one of only two efforts on target.
Town had not lost in Unibond One North since their 3-1 reverse at Mossley back on September 9.
The performance at Rossendale was nowhere near as bad as the one at Seel Park, but they will have to show the same resilience they showed after that game in Manchester if their challenge for the title is to be sustained.
Newcastle are one of Town's rivals for promotion this season and currently lie six points behind the Shaymen with three games in hand.
But they have a tendency to be a little erratic - both at home and away.
Last weekend they won 2-1 against Radcliffe Borough on Tyneside, but in their previous two home games they had been beaten by Curzon Ashton and Bamber Bridge, both of whom were Town victims on their recent run.
On the road, they have smashed five past Mossley and four at Bamber Bridge.
But they have also lost at Wakefield and could only manage a goalless draw with Chorley.
Much of the talk ahead of tomorrow's game has been about the size of the Shay crowd.
Some have suggested that the attendance could top the 1,549 who saw the season opener with Bamber Bridge.
And ordinarily a game between top and fifth would be expected to attract a good crowd.
But Newcastle Blue Star have the smallest fan base in the entire division with home gates ranging from a high of 189 for their game with Garforth to a low of just 63 against Curzon Ashton, and they average just 108.
If the Town fans can beat the opening day gate it would be a really fine effort.
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Weather for Halifax
Saturday 11 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -1 C to 0 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 2 C to 4 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North west
