Halifax produce dominant performance in 3-0 away win at Sutton

The Shaymen's march to the play-offs continued with another assured, authoritative performance.

Goals from Zak Emmerson, Adam Senior and Florent Hoti saw Halifax stroll to a commanding win, although it was Sutton doing the strolling against a Town side that overran them; quicker, sharper, stronger and by far the better team.

It's another brilliant away day to add to the growing collection too, with Halifax's record on the road surely the envy of every other team in the division apart from leaders Barnet.

Despite the injuries, despite The Shay pitch, despite their comparitively meagre budget and the youngest squad in the league, Town's play-off push shows no signs of slowing.

Victory was on the cards almost immediately here, with Emmerson nodding in a left-wing cross within the opening minute.

It set the tone for a Town start as bright as the spring sunshine, with Halifax looking like a team in a hurry and playing with real purpose.

In contrast, Sutton needed a reset button, with the hosts sloppy from the off and wasteful in possession.

Whenever Sutton had the ball, it felt like Town couldn't wait to get it back, and more often than not, it wasn't long until they did.

Emmerson should have doubled their lead less than ten minutes in from Angelo Cappello’s cross, but his diving header went wide of the near post.

Senior made no mistake though when he met Hoti's terrific free-kick from the left with a bullet header.

Midway through the opening half and the visitors were already in control.

Sutton had the air of a team with nothing to play for, whereas Halifax were the exact opposite, exuding hunger, confidence and commitment.

Siju Odelusi had fluffed a header from Besart Topalloj's cross before Senior's goal, and then Topalloj himself had a header blocked just in-front of goal.

But Sutton's attacks had a habit of fizzling out without any end product; top-scorer Will Davies was hardly getting a sniff.

The hosts' malaise was summed up by captain Tyler French's careless back pass near his own byline, gifting Town a chance for a third that wasn't taken.

Sutton's first effort on target didn't arrive until the 41st minute, when Lewis Simper's shot was deflected back to Sam Johnson.

But Halifax should have been out of sight by then, looking a threat every time they approached the hosts' penalty box.

Sutton were clinging on, fortunate their half-time deficit wasn't more severe but presumably under no doubt why Halifax, and not them, are fighting from promotion.

United boss Steve Morison's triple change at the break said it all.

Morison got a reaction, with a couple of efforts from Simper and a couple of corners within the first five minutes of the second-half, amid a more up-tempo display.

Emmerson should have put the result beyond doubt when he was one-on-one with Jack Sims, but the keeper was able to divert his shot onto the post.

Hoti did shortly afterwards though, with an excellent low shot from the left of the box into the bottom right corner.

Sutton's brief spell after the interval had ebbed away by now, with the home side back to playing in slow motion compared to Halifax being in fast forward.

Sutton saw more of the ball as Town eased off the gas late on, and should have got a goal back, but Halifax's clean sheet was another box ticked on a pretty much perfect away day.

Sutton: Sims, Muller (Coley 46), Taylor, French, Topalloj, Wadham (Nadesan 46), Odelusi (Vaz 46), Simper, Barbrook, Sandat (Boateng 57), Davies. Subs not used: Arnold, Ransom, Jackson.

Shots on target: 2

Shots off target: 8

Corners: 10

Halifax: Johnson, Senior, Arthur, Galvin (Galvin 83), Sutcliffe (Emmanuel 46), Jenkins, Evans, Cappello (Pugh 70), Thomas (Cooke 75), Hoti (Leigh 65), Emmerson. Subs not used: Ford, Adetoro.

Scorers: Emmerson (1), Senior (22), Hoti (56)

Shots on target: 4

Shots off target: 6

Corners: 1

Attendance: 2,292 (92 away)

Referee: Aaron Jackson

Town man of the match: I'll give it to Adam Senior. Lots of contenders, but Senior got a goal and defended flawlessly.