FC Halifax Town v Wealdstone preview

Venue: The Shay

Date: Saturday, April 2

Kick-off: 3pm

Referee: Paul Marsden has shown 49 yellow cards and seven red cards in 15 National League games this season, as well as five penalties. Took charge of Town's opening day defeat against Maidenhead at The Shay.

Odds: Halifax win 13/20, draw 13/5, Wealdstone win 15/4

Season so far

Halifax: P40, W23, D7, L10, F63, A40

Wealdstone: P36, W10, D9, L16 F41, A57

Last five games

Halifax: Dover (h) W 2-1, Bromley (h) W 1-0, Torquay (h) W 2-0, Wrexham (a) L 3-1, King's Lynn (a) L 2-0

Wealdstone: Eastleigh (a) L 4-1, Maidenhead (a) W 2-0, Weymouth (h) W 3-2, Stockport (a) L 4-2, Bromley (h) D 1-1

Scorers

Halifax: Billy Waters (18), Jordan Slew (10), Matty Warburton (9), Kian Spence (4), Tom Bradbury (4), Jack Vale (3), Kieran Green (2), Niall Maher (2), Zak Dearnley (2), Luke Summerfield (2), Jesse Debrah, Martin Woods, Tyrell Warren, Elliot Newby, Jamie Allen, Gerry McDonagh

Wealdstone: Josh Umerah (11), Rhys Browne (5), Jack Cook, (4), Ira Jackson Jnr (2), Jayden Mundle-Smith (2), Jayden Sweeney (2), Matt Buse (2), Ashley Charles, Charles Clayden, Charlie Cooper, Medy Elito, Nathan Ferguson, Aaron Henry, Dennon Lewis, Jamie Mascoll, Connor McAvoy, Jerome Okimo, Connor Stevens, Nikola Tavares, Jay Bird

Manager: Stuart Maynard was appointed in March last year after a spell as caretaker boss. Played for the club in the late 1990s and returned in May 2019, working with Dean Brennan to secure the National League South title in their first season at the club.

Last season: 19th in National League

One to watch: Striker Josh Umerah was tipped for a bright future as a youngster at Charlton. Wealdstone is his seventh different club but the 24-year-old is enjoying a decent season, netting 11 league goals this term, but has netted just once in his last eight appearances.

Match facts: Only Stockport County have won more National League games this season than Halifax (20).

Only Boreham Wood have conceded fewer goals in the National League this season than Halifax (28), and only Boreham Wood have conceded fewer home goals.

Halifax have won more home games in the National League this season (13) than any other team.

Wealdstone have kept just one clean sheet in their last 11 matches, but have scored in each of their last 11 outings.

Halifax have won their last four home games in a row, and have won seven of their last eight home league matches.

Last time they met: Matty Warburton's penalty proved decisive as Halifax won 1-0 at Wealdstone back in December.

Follow all the action from the game on Saturday with our live blog on the Courier website, where there will also be an on-the-whistle match report and post-match reaction from Town boss Pete Wild.

Saturday’s National League fixtures:

Dover v King's Lynn

Barnet v Yeovil

Southend v Notts Co

Aldershot v Eastleigh

Chesterfield v Grimsby

Halifax v Wealdstone

Solihull M v Maidenhead

Boreham W v Woking