FC Halifax Town 0-2 Woking

First-half goals by Max Kretzschmar and Jake Hyde never looked in serious danger of being cancelled out by a below-par Halifax.T

he result, and Town’s performance, serve as a reminder that there is still plenty of work ahead of The Shaymen if they are to earn a place in the play-offs.

The win leaves Woking as one of numerous clubs breathing down Town’s neck for a place in the top seven, and Pete Wild’s side will need to be much better than this if they are to stay there.

After Tuesday night’s battling victory against Sutton, Halifax were flat, devoid of the fighting spirit that got them over the line in midweek.

After early efforts from Kretzschmar, on target, and Josh Staunton, off target, Woking’s Ben Gerring did brilliantly to dispossess Devante Rodney after he controlled a high ball, and then take the ball off the toes of a Town team-mate.

But after a cagey opening, Woking found a way through when a lovely one-two put Kretzschamr through, before Nathan Clarke’s trip.The midfielder picked himself up and slotted the spot kick home, just out of Sam Johnson’s reach.

Woking wingers Dave Tarpey and Jamar Loza were threats, with Kretzschmar neat and tidy in the number 10 role.

Rodney was lively for Halifax, and had the beating of the Woking defenders one-on-one, but few other Town players were playing with the same pace and directness.

The Cards had got their goal, and were happy to file back behind the ball, frustrate the hosts and play on the break.

It was up to Halifax to break them down, but there were too many unforced errors and misplaced passes for The Shaymen to build any sustained pressure.

Woking were well-organised, with two big, strong centre-halves and a hard-working midfield in-front of them cutting off the supply line.

Halifax were patient, waiting for the gaps to appear, but it was frustrating viewing; Jamie Allen was a spectator most of the opening half, competing hopelessly against Woking’s two giant centre-halves for high balls, while Jack Redshaw had no space to operate.

Woking were snapping into tackles, aggressive and hungry; Town were laboured in comparison, running into cul-de-sacs.

The visitors built a worrying head of steam just before the break, as Hyde tested Johnson with a stinging drive against the run of play before Matty Brown was forced into some desperate defending.

That pressure was the precursor to Woking’s second, as the rangy Moussa Diarra nodded down a free-kick to Hyde, who spun and fired low past Johnson from eight yards.

One-nil had looked recoverable, but two-nil was a long way back. A half-time rocket from Pete Wild was required to bring his side to life.

But there was no discernible difference after the restart, if anything Town got worse - sloppier in possession, too easy to get at, and in danger of conceding a third.

Frustration turned to anger when Diarra collided with Johnson competing for a high ball, prompting a melee as Town alleged the Woking man had crashed into the keeper deliberately.

Hope of a fightback flickered when Rodney headed against the bar from a corner, with the ball bouncing down right on the line.

But that proved just a flicker, as Town failed to establish their dominance, struggling desperately to create any clear chances, instead getting sidetracked by Woking’s gamesmanship.

Cameron King added a little spontaneity and imagination off the bench, but it was largely lacking in finesse or fluidity from The Shaymen, who ended the match with a whimper.


Halifax: Johnson, Maher, Clarke, Brown, J King, Cooper (Sho-Silva 79), Staunton (Nolan 60), Williams, Redshaw (C King 60), Allen, Rodney. Subs not used: Appleyard, Binnom-Williams.


Shots on target: 1

Shots off target: 6

Corners: 5


Woking: Ross, Cook, Gerring, Diarra, Casey, Ferdinand, Dempsey, Tarpey (Neufville 78), Kretzschmar, Loza (Donnellan 89), Hyde (Wareham 81). Subs not used: Paulat-Brigg, Collier.


Scorers: Kretzschmar (15 pen), Hyde (45)

Shots on target: 6

Shots off target: 3

Corners: 5


Attendance: 1,995 (67 away)

Referee: Joe Hull

Town man of the match: Danny Williams