Cooke's goal sees Town edge past Boston United at The Shay

A promotion-chashing Halifax side were frustrated by Boston the last time The Pilgrims visited The Shay eight years ago, and it looked like the same could happen again after a dour first-half.

But The Shaymen showed some character, dug in and produced a gritty second-half display to find a way to win.

Not a bad habit for a play-off hopeful, but it wasn't pretty.

Festus Arthur, on a surprise return to the side in place of Adam Adetoro, was booked just eight minutes into his first league start for Town in nearly two years for a late tackle on former Halifax midfielder Martin Woods.

There were grumbles from some Town fans 20 minutes in as their side was pressed into some panicky defending against Boston pressure.

Keaton Ward had a shot saved by Sam Johnson, with Boston belying their second-from-bottom status by producing a battling performance that saw them edging the contest.

The visitors were imposing themselves effectively, taking inspiration from Tamworth in playing a lot of direct balls forward, trying to turn the Halifax defence round and get plenty of crosses into the box.

They were also imbued with a fighting spirit and an intensity in open play that seemed to be lacking from the hosts.

Town looked to be caught between playing it out from the back and playing it long, and didn't really do either with any great quality.

Arthur had The Shaymen's first shot on target, an overhead kick from a corner, straight at Cameron Gregory midway through the first-half, but Boston were creating more.

Jacob Hazel had a bobbling shot on target while Ward had another effort at goal before the interval, which was greeted with something akin to a stunned silence from the home supporters.

All they'd had to cheer since Arthur's shot was a tame header by Zak Emmerson from Angelo Cappello's cross.

That was the only thing that went right for the Town winger in a nightmare opening half, but the malaise wasn't just restricted to him.

Like The Shay pitch, it was all a bit of a mess, uneasy on the eye and very patchy from Halifax.

Indeed, the pitch was the winner, with the atrocious surface making for a very poor spectacle.

But while Boston had adapted to the pitch and its limitations, it seemed to be sapping The Shaymen of any vibrancy or fluidity.

Only a superb sliding tackle prevented Luca Thomas from a one-on-one chance from Cappello's cross shortly after the interval.

The Shaymen started to wrestle a bit of control over the contest but were still struggling to offer any real threat, and making hard work of building from the back.

They finally produced some penetrative play though when a low cross from the left was met with a first time finish by Cooke, much to the relief of the home supporters, who might have been wondering where a goal was coming from.

It was still tentative, but there was more of an edge to Town after the goal, more life and liveliness in their approach.

Boston weren't beaten yet though, with Connor Teale seeing an effort saved by Johnson from one of several long throws now being hurled into the Halifax box by substitute Brad Nicholson.

Boston seemed to tire as the second-half wore on though, while Halifax grew in belief and determination, winning more tackles and connecting with more passes.

It still needed a big save in added time from Johnson to keep out Zak Mills' effort for Town to get over the line.

Halifax: Johnson, Senior, Smith, Arthur, Galvin, High, Evans, Thomas (Jenkins 81), Cooke, Cappello (Wright 65), Emmerson. Subs not used: Ford, Sutcliffe, Adetoro, Pugh, Hoti.

Scorer: Cooke (61)

Shots on target: 3

Shots off target: 5

Corners: 4

Boston: Gregory, C Green (Weston 72), Rowe, Teale, Mills, Ward (Marriott 86), Woods (Nicholson 58), Hill, Richards, Knowles (Gale 65), Hazel. Subs not used: Coates, O Green, Lovelace.

Shots on target: 6

Shots off target: 9

Corners: 2

Attendance: 1,668 (282 away)

Referee: William Davis

Town man of the match: Sam Johnson. Big save at the end but was excellent throughout.