Barnet 1-1 FC Halifax Town

Jack Redshaw celebrated his new contract with a goal as FC Halifax Town drew 1-1 at Barnet.

Redshaw, who along with Charlie Cooper signed a contract extension to the end of the season before the game, put Town into a 1-0 half-time lead, which was wiped out by Jack Taylor after the interval.

Barnet were the more dominant side but failed to convert that into clear chances against a Halifax side who dug deep after a gruelling festive period to take a hard-earned point.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Jack Barham tested Sam Johnson after just 15 seconds with a shot from the corner of the six-yard box, but after surviving that early scare, The Shaymen, fielding the same starting 11 for the third consecutive game, soon settled down and looked comfortable.
Their 3-5-2 system seemed to suit them, with Jamie Allen and Redshaw high up the pitch, and Cameron King tucked in-behind trying to feed them.

The extra centre-back also made them more difficult to break down, with Barnet running into a few dead ends.

The set-up seems to give whoever is on the ball more options, with more Town players higher up the pitch.

It became a 5-3-2 when Barnet were in possession, and The Shaymen worked hard to close the hosts down and stay in their shape.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Barnet saw more of the ball, but Halifax kept them mostly at arm’s length.

Sam Johnson needed every millimetre of his reach to tip Jack Taylor’s shot from outside the box onto the bar at full stretch midway through the first-half.

And that save looked even better when a lovely cross to the far post by Jeff King found Redshaw, who shifted his body quickly to meet the ball on the bounce and finish smartly first time.

Barnet’s top-scorer Simeon Akinola might have done better shortly after that when he tried to meet Cheye Alexander’s deep cross, but couldn’t adjust his body like Redshaw had, and awkwardly put the ball over the bar from close range.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

It was bordering on a textbook away performance from Town as it neared half-time, with Cameron King alive to interceptions and the conduit to most attacks, Josh Staunton covering a lot of ground in midfield and Jeff King and Danny Williams looked like they’d played the whole season at wing-back.

Redshaw’s intelligent movement and awareness saw him drifting off into space down the inside left channel, and from there, he brought a good save from Scott Loach with a powerful shot that was tipped over.

Attacking midfielder Wes Fonguck, who had been decent for Barnet along with Akinola, sent a shot crashing wide after bursting towards the edge of the box.

But Barnet had been restricted to shots from outside the area, with back-three Niall Maher, Nathan Clarke and Matty Brown rarely panicked, while Halifax were a threat on the break.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Barnet boss Darren Currie’s thoughts on their first-half display were clear when he made two half-time substitutions.

The Shaymen didn’t need to change anything.

The pattern had continued, with Barnet being forced to go round Halifax rather than through them, but Town dealing well with their crosses, and The Shaymen trying to hit the hosts on the break.

But Barnet finally produced a cross that Town didn’t deal with, when substitute Ephron Mason-Clark’s ball fell to Jack Taylor, who finished low across goal from near the penalty spot.

That put the contest right in the balance, although the momentum was now Barnet’s, who were more aggressive off-the-ball and trying to attack with more tempo.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Halifax seemed a little sapped of energy and weren’t as threatening going forward as before half-time.

Mason-Clark nearly provided another for the hosts when his cross hit Akinola and dribbled inches wide of the post.

It was now becoming next-goal-wins, with Barnet the quicker and sharper side and Halifax starting to tire and hang on.

The impressive Mason-Clark fizzed a cross through the box at one end before fellow sub Liam McAlinden’s cross-shot flashed across goal at the other.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

But the intensity in the contest ebbed away as a winner became increasingly unlikely in the closing stages.


Barnet: Loach, Reynolds, H Taylor, Johnson, Alexander (Mason-Clark 46), J Taylor, Dunne, Tutonda (Sparkes 84), Fonguck, Barham (Vilhete 46), Akinola. Subs not used: Azaze, Adams.
Scorer: J Taylor (58)

Shots on target: 4

Shots off target: 9

Corners: 2
Halifax: Johnson, Maher, Clarke, Brown, J King, Cooper, Staunton, Williams, C King (McCoulsky 87), Allen (McAlinden 69), Redshaw (Sho-Silva 66): Subs not used: Appleyard, Binnom-Williams.
Scorer: Redshaw (24)

Shots on target: 6

Shots off target: 1

Corners: 6


Attendance: 1,333 (130 away)

Referee: Paul HowardT

own man of the match: Josh Staunton