FC Halifax Town 2-1 Bromley

First-half goals from Niall Maher and Devante Rodney handed Town control of the contest, but the visitors got one back through Joe Kizzi and pushed Town all the way in a nervy second-half.

Bromley represented a true test of Town's promotion credentials. How would they square up against a side full of aggression and attitude, who had won nearly half their league games this season?

This was The Shaymen's toughest game on paper since the Boxing Day mauling at Stockport.

Their recovery since then had been remarkable, and they remain unbeaten, this their fifth straight win, and their sixth in eight.

A jinking run by Jamie Allen, who replaced Jack Redshaw in attack, saw him squirm past the trailing Dave Winfield before his low shot was beaten away by keeper Ryan Huddart. From the corner, Nathan Clarke headed straight at the keeper.

Huddart then reacted well to save Rodney's effort, with The Shaymen building a head of steam. Bromley looked like they'd run out of steam already.

Town were exciting when they got into the final third, with Allen and Rodney hungry to get on the ball and attack a static Bromley back line.

The visitors' passing was loose and they looked lethargic.

The game suffered when the ball got stuck in the middle third, while the blustery conditions and bobbly surface didn't help the flow of the match at times.

But Halifax were the only side offering a threat, with Cameron King's spectacular strike cracking off the post from 25 yards out.

Luke Coulson curled a shot just wide cutting in from the left flank for Bromley, but it was against the run of play.

Referee Gareth Rhodes had awarded a penalty in both Halifax games he had officiated this season, and many inside The Shay expected another when Allen's tenacity again saw him wriggle through on goal before he was hauled down by Holland.

The Bromley skipper was rightly sent-off, but a free-kick just outside the box was awarded.

It added to the sense of injustice at the referee after he had failed to punish Michael Chambers' awful tackle on Charlie Cooper with even a booking.

After the recriminations had died down, Rodney's set-piece hit the wall, and Maher was quickest to react to poke it home from five yards.

Justice was done, Town would argue.

Cooper, from outside the box, and Allen, near the corner of the six-yard box, both had efforts go over the bar, before the inevitable happened and Town doubled their lead.

Bromley had looked bad enough with 11 men, and things got even worse for them when Rodney won his own flick on against the statuesque Chambers, who was far too slow and ponderous to react, and the Town striker, brimming with confidence, drove a stunning shot low across goal into the bottom corner.

2-0 up against 10 men just before half-time, Town were in complete control of the contest, but that record against 10 men this season threatened to rear its ugly head again when Joe Kizzi nodded in Frankie Raymond's lofted free-kick seconds before the interval.

The Shaymen had been easily the better side, sharper, quicker and more aggressive. A solitary goal advantage at the break seemed scant reward for it or reflection of it.

There was a let off for Town just after half-time though when Michael Cheek reached a ball Nathan Clarke was trying to shield out of play and then went past Sam Johnson, but Jerome Binnom-Williams was well-placed to clear the ball before the open goal.

Cheek's persistence was indicative of Bromley's attitude after the interval though. The visitors switched to 4-4-1, went back to basics and came out fighting.

Halifax re-emerged having lost their edge. They were flat, taking too long to move the ball and making errors.

All of which will have only reinforced Bromley's belief that the game was far from over yet.

It was a far scruffier, scrappier second-half. Allen and Rodney saw less of the ball, and there wasn't enough fluency or quality from either side.

But Bromley gave nothing away, kept it tight and stayed in the game.

The contest was edging towards a nervy conclusion, with Bromley much-improved and scrapping to the end, and Town lacking inspiration and composure.

Five minutes of added time didn't help the jitters either, and Town then survived back-to-back corners before the relief of the final whistle.

Halifax: Johnson, Maher, Clarke, Binnom-Williams, Duckworth, Cooper (Nolan 67), Staunton, Williams, C King (Redshaw 80), Allen, Rodney (Sho-Silva 80). Subs not used: Appleyard, Hanson.

Scorers: Maher (32), Rodney (43)

Shots on target: 5

Shots off target: 6

Corners: 2

Bromley: Huddart, Kizzi, Holland, Winfield, Chambers (Bush 46), Coulson, Raymond, Higgs, Rees, Cheek (Williamson 66), Whitley (Clifton 77). Subs not used: Cousins, Rowe.

Scorer: Kizzi (45)

Shots on target: 2

Shots off target: 6

Corners: 4

Attendance: 2,026

Referee: Garreth Rhodes

Town man of the match: Jamie Allen