Spectacular Alli strike earns Shaymen a point at Boreham Wood

Halifax trailed at half-time through Lee Ndlovu's opener, but The Shaymen battled back and showed some overdue resolve and resilience to earn a point.

If Town succumbed at Southend with a whimper, they at least showed some fighting spirit here.

They'll need much more of that, but the result and the performance here is at least a step in the right direction.

Town had won only once in ten, excluding penalties, while Boreham Wood had only lost once in ten, excluding extra time.

And The Shaymen didn't help themselves in trying to change that when they fell behind to an entirely self inflicted goal just ten minutes in.

A poor pass by Max Wright back to his own goal went straight to top-scorer Ndlovu, who found it too easy to navigate his way to goal before firing the ball confidently into the net.

Chris Bush's fantastic long throws were causing havoc in the Town defence, leading to shots blocked and scrambles for the ball every time the missile was launched.

Josh Rees and Ndlovu both had efforts, with the hosts looking hungrier and more assured.

There wasn't much finesse about Boreham Wood, but they were effective and did what they did well.

Halifax, by contrast, didn't play with any conviction, struggling to impose themselves, too easy to defend against.

Mani Dieseruvwe's effort from a corner, straight at Nathan Ashmore, was Town's first effort of the game after half-an-hour, unless you counted a block from Ashmore's attempted clearance a few minutes previously that bounced away from goal rather than towards it.

Festus Arthur - one of three to come in for Town along with Jack Hunter and Angelo Capello - and Alli both produced sloppy misplaced passes inside their own half before the break, but The Shaymen mercifully escaped further punishment.

Ndlovu should have done better when he was picked out with a superb low cross from the left, but could only side-foot the ball well wide.

It was a poor spectacle, as it had been against Scunthorpe the last time Halifax were on BT Sport, and it was the same outcome, with The Shaymen creating nothing from open play and looking decidedly uninspired, unconvincing and unable to do much about it.

Harvey Gilmour's free kick was tipped over by Ashmore just after half-time, before Town's best move of the game yet saw Jesse Debrah find Wright, whose cross picked out Dieseruvwe, but the striker couldn't muster an effort on goal at the near post.

Halifax had looked more dangerous in the first five minutes of the second-half than the whole of the first.

Adam Senior, again impressing down the right, had a header cleared off the line from Capello's cross as Town found a bit of momentum.

And they capped off their good start to the second-half when Alli burst forward down the middle of the Boreham Wood half and launched a missile of his own that crashed in off the post.

Just as Ndlovu had, Alli had found it too easy to get within shooting distance, but it was some strike to bring Town level.

The Shaymen didn't really maintain that momentum though, with Boreham Wood responding well and regaining a measure of superiority.

George Broadbent came within a whisker of restoring The Wood's lead with a superb curling shot that whistled just wide.

It was delicately poised, and now in next-goal-wins territory. Town were competing better than the non-descript first-half, and didn't look as vulnerable defensively to the hosts' direct tactics.

But neither side had the composure or quality to create that next big chance.

Boreham Wood: Ashmore, Agbontohoma, Bush, Evans, Ilesanmi, Broadbent, Rees (Brunt 80), Payne, Sousa, Newton (Marsh 66), Ndlovu. Subs not used: Fyfield, Lewis, Coxe.

Scorer: Ndlovu (10)

Shots on target: 3

Shots off target: 12

Corners: 7

Halifax: Johnson, Arthur, Debrah, Stott, A Senior, Hunter, Gilmour, Capello (Golden 89), Wright (O'Rourke 74), Alli, Dieseruvwe. Subs not used: White, Keane, Slew.

Scorer: Alli (62)

Shots on target: 4

Shots off target: 2

Corners: 4

Attendance: 925 (33 away)

Referee: Adrian Quelch

Town man of the match: Adam Senior, worked hard up and down the right flank and showed plenty of attacking intent in a better second-half all round by Town. Has been a good addition.