Cosgrave scores last ditch winner as Shaymen make it back-to-back wins

Adan George got Town off to a great start in an impressive first-half but Tobi Sho-Silva scored against his old club to seemingly deprive Town of three points.

After an encouraging first-half, Halifax tailed off badly in the second-half, but Cosgrave produced a dramatic last ditch winner as they won back-to-back games for the first time since October.

You wait all season for a goal in the first ten minutes, and then it happens two games in a row.

After Andrew Oluwabori's early opener at Dorking, George followed suit just seven minutes in after brilliant play by Jack Evans, bursting upfield with a one-two and then playing in George, who got past the last defender and kept his cool to finish one-on-one for his first Town goal.

The Shaymen ended the game in the ascendancy at Dorking and started it the same way here.

George nearly got a second on a rapid counter-attack but his blast at goal was parried by Craig Ross.

There was a sense of purpose about The Shaymen, something that had been absent this time last week against Solihull, with their first thought more often than not as soon as possession was regained being 'who's ahead of me?' and 'how can I get it to them?'

The standard of opposition was worse than Solihull, but Town's performance compared to their last home outing was much better.

Less safety first and more front foot.

It wasn't perfect from the hosts, there were still misplaced passes - undermining otherwise lively performances by Luke Summerfield and Andrew Oluwabori especially - and Halifax didn't have it all their own way, but at least the intent was there from The Shaymen to try and make things happen.

They racked up ten shots before half-time; there hadn't even been one this time last week. That, more than anything, summed up the difference.

They got sloppier in possession as the opening half went on, meaning the break probably came at a good time before an error led to a Maidenhead goal.

The visitors had been contained pretty comfortably, lacking the pace and productivity on the ball than Town possessed, although Halifax were better off-the-ball too, chasing and harrying commendably.

Two efforts by Sam Barratt - one blazed over, the other well saved by Sam Johnson - in the second-half's first five minutes heralded an improvement from the away side in a more even game.

There wasn't the same fluidity about Halifax after the interval, while the visitors were gradually growing in confidence.

It wasn't the same performance from Town since the restart and it wasn't the same game.

There was far less end product from the hosts too, resulting in their lead looking slender as Maidenhead dug in.

And they equalised through ex-Town striker Sho-Silva, who converted from close range after a superb low cross from the right.

Halifax's momentum had deserted them alarmingly and been transferred to Maidenhead, with former Town loanee Shawn McCoulsky bringing a save from Johnson and the visitors going close with a curling shot across goal.

A late injury left Maidenhead with ten men and the visitors retreated to their own box to preserve their point, and came extremely close.

But a low cross from the right of the box was hammered in at close range by substitute Cosgrave to rescue a win from the jaws of a draw.

Halifax: Johnson, Golden, Keane, Stott, Evans, Summerfield (Hunter 59), Thomson-Sommers, Wright, Jenkins (Senior 64), Oluwabori (Cosgrave 82), George. Subs not used: Wilson, Chikukwa.

Scorer: George (7), Cosgrave (90+8)

Shots on target: 6

Shots off target: 11

Corners: 6

Maidenhead: Ross, Asare (Massey 75), Lokko, Clerima, Beckwith, Pettit, Ferdinand (Keetch 67), Barratt (McCoulsky 69), Smith, Nathaniel-George, Sho-Silva. Subs not used: Zimba, Adams.

Scorer: Sho-Silva (78)

Shots on target: 5

Shots off target: 7

Corners: 7

Attendance: 1,357 (36 away)

Referee: David Mcnamara

Town man of the match: Adan George, took his goal well and could have had another,. Worked hard up top and made some clever runs. Didn't do much wrong and is showing some encouraging glimpses.