Shaymen fight back from 2-0 down to earn a point at Fylde

Luke Charman and Nick Haughton had put the hosts into a comfortable half-time lead, but second-half goals from Jamie Cooke and Hoti rescued a point as the teams drew 2-2 for the second time this season.

The Shaymen would certainly have taken a point at half-time after being outplayed in the first 45, and they showed admirable resolve to dig deep.

They'll need more of that over the next three months, and less of the frailties that made a point look unlikely at the interval.

Ex-Town loanee Sam Graham headed against the bar within the first minute for Fylde as the hosts started with real intent, playing with high energy, getting in Halifax's faces.

It might have only been seven minutes in, but Fylde's opener was already arguably deserved, with Charman's low shot beating the outstretched leg of Sam Johnson, who may feel he could have done better, at his near post.

Never mind Storm Jocelyn, it was Storm Fylde.

It was the home side's first game for ten days, Town's first for 17, but the wind looked like it had blown the cobwebs off the hosts and only hardened Halifax's rustiness.

New signing Adan George, in from the start, made his first contribution of note with a nicely timed run down the left flank, beating the offside trap, from which he won a corner.

Tylor Golden's inswinging set-piece was then pretty much cleared off the line, with Halifax slowly coming into the game, starting to show a bit of fight themselves after a timid opening.

They were blown back off course though when Haughton reacted quicker than a Town defender to a through ball down the left before cutting inside without being challenged an curling a shot across goal into the far corner.

Too easy, and certainly not worth waiting two-and-a-half weeks for.

Halifax had only conceded six goals in their last eight games, but after three at Southend it was now two after 24 minutes here.

Town's previously watertight defence was leaking like a sieve.

Fylde were the far more cohesive side, handling the conditions much better. Halifax looked like their game-plan had blown away in the gale, playing without tempo and failing to execute seemingly simple passes.

Golden had The Shaymen's first shot on target 37 minutes in after George's lay-off, but Theo Richardson tipped it behind.

Fylde could have led 3-0 at the break though, with debutant Joe Westley sidefooting a cross from the right over six yards out, and Ethan Mitchell's cross-shot kept out by Johnson.

George fired just wide from the edge of the box two minutes after the restart.

But when a Town move broke down at one end before Fylde raced upfield and had a shot on target by Charman saved by Johnson, it kind of summed the game up; Fylde were doing what Halifax couldn't and at twice the speed.

The next goal felt big, and Town got it when Angelo Cappello, having moved to left wing-back, shimmied upfield before playing a lovely through ball to Cooke, who kept his composure to finish low from the left of the box.

Substitute Max Wright then scuffed his shot after a cutback from the left of the box minutes before Cappello's deft body swerve opened up a chance to the right of goal but he fired just wide.

The momentum had swung like the wind changing direction. Fylde's chances had dried up, Town's were increasing.

Cooke should have got his and Halifax's second from substitute Hoti's low cross, but he blazed over near the penalty spot.

Hoti then produced a sensational left-footed strike from 20 yards, in off the bar, to reward Town for a much better second-half.

If only they'd started like this.

Hoti was then forced off with a shoulder injury in stoppage time to put a dampener on what should have been a memorable night for him.

Town going down to ten men saw the momentum shift again deep into added time and it required a good save by Johnson to tip over a late effort as Fylde pressed for a winner.

Fylde: Richardson, Conway, Davis, Graham, Barrett, Whitehead, Mitchell, Haughton (O'Kane 85), Ustabasi, Charman (Kay 78), Westley (Ormerod 72). Subs not used: Evans.

Scorers: Charman (7), Haughton (24)

Shots on target: 7

Shots off target: 7

Corners: 3

Halifax: Johnson, Senior (Wright 60), Keane, Stott, Golden, Hunter, Thomson-Sommers (Harker 83), Galvin (Hoti 56), Cooke, Cappello, George. Subs not used: Summerfield, Cosgrave.

Scorers: Cooke (65), Hoti (81)

Shots on target: 3

Shots off target: 6

Corners: 3

Referee: Stuart Morland

Town man of the match: Angelo Cappello. Persevered after a quiet first-half and being moved to left wing-back and set up one goal and could have scored another,