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Mickleover Sports 2 FC Halifax Town 3: Vardy is Town's two-goal hero
A JAMIE Vardy double helped Town to record a much-needed victory in the battle of last season's champion sides.
But, while the Shaymen were by some distance the better side, the result was always in doubt as they allowed the home side to get back into the game.
Goals from Danny Holland and Vardy had Town cruising after 25 minutes but they spurned several other good opportunities to increase their advantage and the first of two Alex Steadman goals meant there was just one goal between the sides.
Vardy's second midway through the second half appeared to have settled it until Steadman blasted home from the penalty spot to set up a nervy last 10 minutes.
In the end Town survived - and they thoroughly deserved to as they gave a much improved display.
They might have opened the scoring after a minute when Tom Baker picked out Holland with a quick free kick, but the striker flashed his shot across the face of goal.
Five minutes later a Simon Garner corner on the right was headed back across goal by Riley but Vardy sent his effort over the bar.
The early pressure told in the ninth minute with a well-worked goal.
Garner did well tight to the touchline to find Richard Marshall with a back heel and he sent the ball long for Vardy. His pace was enough to take him past the full back and when he squared it, Holland slid in to score.
Town continued to push forward, James Riley getting on the end of a Garner cross to head goalwards, but a defender blocked on the line.
And from the corner that followed Riley was unlucky again, his well directed header being well saved by Ed Eley in the Mickleover goal.
The home side's first chance came after 19 minutes, Steadman firing high over the bar from 12 yards.
And three minutes later Vardy latched onto a Marshall pass and almost doubled Town's lead when he saw the home keeper off his line, but the ball dipped too late.
The striker made no mistake two minutes later when he got on the end of a Harry Winter pass. Again the keeper advanced and this time Vardy lifted it perfectly into the open net.
Vardy almost got the ball to Holland in the middle just past the half hour, but a defender managed to get a foot in.
And the home side got a foothold in the game 10 minutes before the break when Steadman got free on the right and fired home.
Mickleover forced a couple of corners as they pressed for a leveller but it was Town who finished the half strongly.
A defender sliced a Garner free kick narrowly past the post, Vardy's first time shot from a Winter pass rolled wide and the same player volleyed over from a Mark Bower knock down.
Then, in injury time, skipper Bower rose well to head down a Garner corner, but the ball rebounded back off the post.
Town opened the second half as they had the first - in the ascendancy.
Garner did well in possession and released Marshall whose 25-yarder fizzed over the bar.
And Winter linked up well with Vardy on the right, but his cross was too deep for Garner, although he did well to win the Shaymen a corner.
Town lost Riley to another facial wound but restored their two goal advantage in the 68th minute from a Phil Senior clearance
The keeper - included at the expense of Jonathan Hedge - launched the ball down field, Marshall flicked on and Vardy raced clear before tucking it home.
Baker's 30-yard free kick was palmed, rather than punched, clear by home keeper Eley who did well moments later to deny Vardy after he had sprung the offside trap yet again.
Eley was at his best - not too long after infuriating the large travelling support by making the most of an 'injury' - as he produced a fine double save.
The first stop denied Marshall from distance and the keeper recovered well to regain his feet and block Holland's follow up.
Having looked so comfortable for Town, the game was back in the melting pot with 10 minutes to go when Hogan's 'challenge' on Richard Bailey gave the home side a penalty which Steadman dispatched with aplomb.
A poor Steadman cross and a couple of long balls into the box apart, Mickleover were unable to exert that much pressure on the Town defence in the closing stages.
And Town might have bagged a fourth goal in injury time when Winter found James Dean. His marker retreated, but the big man's low shot flashed across the face of goal and wide of the target.
MATCH FACTS
Mickleover Sports: Eley, Roome, Carter, Walshe, Barrow (Hoyle 45), Strzyzewski, Graves (Bailey 74), Smythe (Ashton 30), Steadman, O'Connell, Guy. Subs (not used): Martin, Hind
Goals: Steadman 35, 79pen
Booked: Guy (foul 36)
Sent-off: None
FC Halifax Town: Senior, Plummer, Bower, Hogan, Riley (Phelan 60), Winter, Baker, Holland, Vardy (Dean 75), Marshall (Gray 81), Garner. Subs (not used): Hedge, Metcalfe.
Goals: Holland 9, Vardy 24, 68
Booked: Vardy (foul 54), Holland (foul 62), Hogan (foul 79)
Sent-off: None
Attendance: 676
Referee: Mark Howes
STAR PLAYER
At the start of the season manager Neil Aspin said he felt Jamie Vardy could be the best striker in the division.
On current form he is not too far away from that.
Vardy scored two at Mickleover, set up the third and, on another day, would have had a hat-trick.
His pace would scare far better defenders than those plying their trade in the Evo-Stik Premier - and we are still to see the very best of him.
Vardy takes the three points on offer in our season-long competition, with Richard Marshall claiming two.
Following on from his first start against Colwyn Bay, Marshall was a real thorn in the side of the home defence in Derbyshire
On several occasions, he sent Vardy racing away on runs that had the home defence backtracking as quickly as it could.
The final point goes to midfielder Harry Winter.
After an unspectacular return to Halifax from Northwich, he found himself on the bench last Monday.
He returned to the starting line-up at the weekend and, playing a slightly wider role on the right, grabbed his chance.
PLAYER POINTS
Jamie Vardy 9, Tom Baker 5, Richard Marshall 5, Aaron Hardy 3, Danny Holland 3, Liam Hogan 1, Nathan Taylor 1, Harry Winter 1.
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Thursday 09 February 2012
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