Gilsenan stars as stylish Shaymen beat Hornchurch 3-0

Gilsenan opened the scoring just before half-time before Ben Tollitt and Tayt Trusty added the gloss for Halifax, who got better and better as the game went on.

If only they could play like this every week.

There was only a shot by Aaron Rowe, straight at True Grant, to even remotely enliven a dull first quarter of the match.

The Shaymen struggled to develop any tempo or energy to their play, with too many sideways and backwards passes.

And their early malaise was encapsulated when Grant took an age to move the ball upfield and when he did, shanked it out of play.

Halifax's first shot on target, by Raheem Conte midway through the opening half, came after Gilsenan received the ball on the half-turn and shuttled it out left.

With that, Town's midfield maestro had came to life, and so did his team.

Gilsenan produced a couple of fabulous runs with the ball soon afterwards, displaying outstanding balance and technique, and forced a save from Arthur Nasta with a free-kick from an incredibly tight angle.

Town's control of the game increased as the first-half went on, and they took the lead through, who else, but Gilsenan, who met Conor Carty's low cross from the left with a thumping shot back across goal.

Gilsenan then set-up a big chance for Carty 12 minutes after half-time with a deft pass but the forward couldn't lift his shot enough over the onrushing Nasta.

There was much more fluidity and intent to Halifax now, as evidenced by their second goal when, following a lovely one-two between Connor Douglas and Max Bardell, Tollitt took a touch on the edge of the box before burying a curling shot into the bottom corner.

Cody Johnson nearly added a third with a shot from 20 yards that flashed just wide.

But Trusty did with a spectacular volley from the same distance that flew into the corner, capping off the win in style.

Halifax: Grant, Bardell, Flint, Hobson, Conte, C Johnson, Trusty (C Allen 90), Tollitt (A Allen 90), Gilsenan (Hugill 74), Douglas (Bray 87), Carty (Morgan-Smith 87). Subs not used: Johnson, Hill.

Scorers: Gilsenan (45), Tollitt (65), Trusty (86)

Attempts on target: 7

Attempts off target: 6

Corners: 8

Hornchurch: Nasta, Ling, Inniss, Kizzi, Edwards, Wraight, Powell (Hearn 59), Sandat (Yearwood 82), Rowe (Pegrum 76), Bracking, Walker (Kelman 82). Subs not used: Byrne, Dallison, Ferguson.

Attempts on target: 2

Attempts off target: 6

Corners: 4

Referee: Isaac Searle

Attendance: 1,310 (84 away)