FC Halifax Town 5-2 Maidenhead United

Charlie Cooper’s opener was cancelled out just before half-time by Ryan Upward, but after a scrappy first-half, Town’s greater quality shone through and made the difference, with Jack Redshaw, Rodney and substitutes Jamie Allen and Michael Duckworth finding the net as Halifax hit five in a game for the first time this season.

It was a patchy performance from Town, but when Redshaw and Rodney linked-up once the game started to get stretched, Maidenhead couldn’t handle them.

There was plenty of evidence to suggest the pair could form a potent partnership for the rest of the season.

There was an early move of promise when Niall Maher found Rodney in space, and the forward turned and ran at the Maidenhead defence before picking out Redshaw, whose shot was tipped over from near the penalty spot.

But that proved a false dawn as both teams struggled to get going, too often mired in a midfield battle of head tennis or scrapping for possession.

Maidenhead’s top scorer Danny Whitehall sent a free-kick a yard or two wide for the visitors, but they were mainly restricted to shots from range.

Town were good in parts, with Jack Redshaw offering good movement and Cooper plenty of bite in midfield, but poor in others, twice giving the ball away needlessly in as many minutes, but getting away with it.

Halifax gradually got on top though, building up a bit of pressure when Matty Brown’s header from a corner was nodded away at the far post.

The opening goal was the antidote to much of what had preceded it in the game, as Redshaw’s skill got him into the box before Danny Williams’ low cross was only half-cleared and Cooper’s blistering half-volley arrowed into the far corner.

Redshaw nearly doubled the lead shortly afterwards but his left-footed curler was kept out comfortably by Taye Ashby-Hammond.

A flashpoint soon afterwards saw Whitehall and Maher both booked for an off-the-ball coming-together, with Whitehall then invoking the ire of the Town supporters for trying to win a penalty against Maher with an exaggerated fall.

Halifax never really threatened to add a second before half-time though, and let Maidenhead back into it when Jeff King conceded a needless free-kick down the left side of the penalty area, from which Upward nodded in at close range with The Magpies’ first effort on target.

What bright moments there were in the match had been from Town, when Rodney and Redshaw had drifted deep into pockets of space.

But Rodney was fed too many high balls for his liking, all of which he lost out to against taller and stronger centre-backs, and not enough like Maher’s early pass, into his feet with pace.The Salford loanee was Town’s best outlet, not afraid to run at the opposition and showing good close control.

Maidenhead weren’t brilliant but they were dogged and awkward, closing down and working hard. The Shaymen only showed what they could do in glimpses.

But moments after Odysseus Alfa just failed to make contact with Seth Twumasi’s cross for Maidenhead, Rodney characteristically burst down the right flank and laid it on a plate for Redshaw to tap-in.

That was more like it, and surely exactly what Pete Wild has in mind from his front two.

Rodney then capped an impressive comeback when his deflected shot rounded off a quick counter-attack when Sam Johnson’s throw set Cameron King on a marauding run forward.

Substitute Jamie Allen then nicked the ball off defender Joe Ellul before sliding it low into the net from an angle as The Shaymen well and truly killed off their opponents.
And Town weren’t finished there as, after Allen’s shot was well saved, they kept the ball alive and eventually substitute Michael Duckworth hammered it high into the net.
Maidenhead got one back through substitute Bernard Mensah’s terrific long range strike in added time, but it was Town’s day.


Halifax: Johnson, Maher, Clarke, Brown, J King (Duckworth 69), Staunton, Cooper, Williams, C King, Rodney (Allen 69), Redshaw (Sho-Silva 76). Subs not used: Appleyard, Binnom-Williams.


Scorers: Cooper (31), Redshaw (61), Rodney (68), Allen (82), Duckworth (89)

Shots on target: 9

Shots off target: 0

Corners: 7


Maidenhead: Ashby-Hammond, Ellul, Davies (Mensah 80), Twumasi, Massey, Alfa (Keetch 85), Smile, Sheckleford, Upward, Akintunde (Fenelon 71), Whitehall. Subs not used: Steer, Smith.


Scorers: Upward (45), Mensah (90)

Shots on target: 2

Shots off target: 9

Corners: 6


Attendance: 1,981

Refere: Thomas Parsons

Town man of the match: Devante Rodney