Brilliant Shaymen beat Dorking to record sixth straight home league win

More importantly, the thoroughly deserved win has put Chris Millington’s men within two points of the play-offs - an unthinkable position after only gaining one point from the opening five games of the season.

The Shay is fast becoming a fortress, something which high-flying Chesterfield found out on Saturday. Town kept a clean sheet in that game and they were 12 minutes away from managing another one here against a side boasting two attackers in James McShane and Ryan Seager who have scored more league goals than the entire Halifax team combined.

The dangerous duo were largely non-existent and well-marshalled by a five-man defence until Seager netted late on to set a few nerves jangling among the home supporters.

At the other end, Millington, ahead of the fixture, had insisted his side needed to score more goals. And his players certainly delivered on the message as Cooke, Spence and Golden produced three scintillating finishes to put Town firmly in control - as well as ensuring they had netted more than twice in a single league game for the first time this season.

To assist with the manager’s desire to score more goals, Matt Warburton, making his first league start since September 24 in the 1-0 defeat at Eastleigh, was one of two changes from the splendid victory over the Spireites, with Jesse Debrah coming in to captain the side. Jack Senior and Luke Summerfield dropped out completely.

Warburton was straight into the action as he linked up neatly with Cooke on the edge of the area but a heavy touch from the former Fleetwood youth product presented the ball to Joe Walsh in Dorking’s net.

Luke Moore responded for the visitors with a fierce drive which flew harmlessly over Sam Johnson’s crossbar.

A scrappy affair was brought into life midway through the first half when Mani Dieseruvwe’s fancy swivel and shot was brilliantly saved by Walsh with Warburton smashing the rebound into the side-netting.

It didn’t take Town long to eventually find the net. From the next passage of play, Cooke was played in craftily by Spence and the former did the rest with a crisp low drive into the far corner for his fifth goal of the season.

The Shaymen were in the ascendancy and could have doubled their advantage before the break had Warburton’s and then Harvey Gilmour’s shots not been bravely blocked by the Wanderers’ defence.

Cooke then forced Town’s first corner in first half injury time, with Dieseruvwe’s header from Warburton’s set piece saved by Walsh.

Town had not dropped points at home when inching their noses in front this season and they didn’t look likely to be giving Dorking a sniff when Spence’s spectacular drive from 25 yards nestled into the bottom corner after 58 minutes.

Halifax’s hero from Saturday, Rob Harker, was introduced for Dieseruvwe and he nearly scored with his first touch after Angelo Capello’s angled effort was parried into his path by Walsh.

The third was a case of when, not if, and Spence, predictably, was involved yet again as he expertly played in Golden who showed dazzling footwork in the area before producing an immaculately composed finish on 67 minutes. Not a bad way to net your first goal of the season.

Seager is someone who is more accustomed to scoring and his 78th minute goal, his tenth league goal of a productive campaign, spoiled what would have been a second successive clean sheet for Town. And it could have been an even twitchier final few minutes had substitute Jimmy Muitt’s effort had not hit the bar.

Cooke was then denied twice by Walsh as Town sought a fourth goal that their performance would have thoroughly deserved.

FC Halifax Town: Johnson, Golden, Capello (Slew 74), Arthur, Debrah (C), Stott, Gilmour, Cooke, Warburton (Hunter 64), Spence, Dieseruvwe (Harker 61)

Subs: Clarke, Alli

Scorers: Cooke (26), Spence (58), Golden (67)

Shots on target: 9

Shots off target: 7

Corners: 4

Dorking Wanderers: Walsh, Cook, Harris, Fuller (C), Gallagher (Muitt 46), McManus, Moore, Wheeler (Egan 66), Pattenden, Seager, McShane

Subs: Taylor, Jebb, Proctor

Scorer: Seager (78)

Shots on target: 1

Shots off target: 4

Corners: 3

Attendance: 1419

Referee: Scott Tallis

Town man of the match: Kian Spence - at the heart of the action, architect of two goals and scored a cracker himself.