Woking 0-0 FC Halifax Town

Nathan Clarke was shown a straight red card just after the hour mark of a game that never really caught fire.

After that, Town dug deep, worked hard and just about held on.

Halifax's defence comes out of the game with more credit than it's attack, but under the circumstances, it is certainly a point gained.

What would appear to be Pete Wild's first-choice back-four was restored with the return of Matty Brown and Jerome Binnom-Williams.

Cameron King was also a welcome returnee, while Liam McAlinden and Jack Redshaw both missed the game due to injury.

Town started positively, passing with confidence and pressing with aggression, not letting Woking settle.

The presence of Brown in defence added calmness and authority, while King added movement and a link between midfield and attack.

But Woking came into the game after a slow start, and nearly scored in a madcap minute or so when their corner appeared to hit the post, before Sam Johnson dropped the follow-up cross under pressure, and then Josh Staunton's header behind landed just the other side of the upright.

Winger Dave Tarpey then dummied a shot and ghosted past Binnom-Williams before his shot flashed just wide across goal.

That flurry seemed to spur the hosts on, as after that they were far more impressive, winning more 50-50's, more second balls and attacking with greater cohesion. Now it was Halifax who weren't being allowed to settle.

Tarpey on one flank and the rapid Jamar Loza on the other were the hosts' threats, causing unease in the Town defence whenever they ran with the ball.

Halifax had a let off when Loza's speed was too much for Brown and Clarke, and when Johnson came out to try and kick the ball away, he missed it, forcing the mercifully-nearby Staunton into a clearance near the penalty spot.

There were more hints of danger rather than moments of danger from Halifax, who looked best when they were popping off passes through King and getting players up the pitch by retaining possession.

When the ball was hurried up to Tobi Sho-Silva, it invariably came back again, despite the striker's best efforts to hold it up against two mountainous centre-backs.

Josh Macdonald and Danny Williams worked hard but hadn't had the same impact as Woking's wingers, with Halifax's only efforts coming from Macdonald and Niall Maher, all off target.

King produced some nice passes, and Michael Duckworth and Binnom-Williams were effective when trying to push forward, but Woking were carrying the greater threat.

There was little between the sides after the interval; Town were still making few inroads themselves but were at least coping better with Woking's threats.

Both teams worked hard to give nothing away, but neither possessed the quality to overcome that.

It was increasingly becoming a game of safety first clearances, percentage balls and not making a mistake.

A potential game-changer came just after the hour-mark when Clarke was shown a straight red for a lunging tackle on Shaun Donnellan in which he won the ball but had his studs showing.

Ben Gerring then had the game's first effort on target with 20 minutes to go when his header was comfortably saved by Johnson.

The sending-off prompted more urgency from Woking, and a more cautious approach from Halifax in response, for whom now a point looked even better.

Woking's best chance of the afternoon so far fell for Loza after a delightful flick into his path, but he snapped at the shot just inside the box and it was easily saved by Johnson.

The Shaymen were forced to throw their bodies on the line as the clock ticked down and Woking shot from all angles.

Johnson made a superb save deep into added time from a Woking header, but Town held out.

Woking: Ross, Cook, Diarra, Gerring, Casey, Donnellan (Kretzschmar 69), Rea (Hodges 88), Ferdinand, Loza, Tarpey, Hyde. Subs not used: Paulat-Brigg, Poku, Collier.

Shots on target: 3

Shots off target: 12

Corners: 7

Halifax: Johnson, Duckworth, Clarke, Brown, Binnom-Williams, Staunton, Maher, C King (Cooper 69), Macdonald (J King 78), Williams, Sho-Silva. Subs not used: Appleyard, Nolan, Southwell.

Shots on target: 0

Shots off target: 5

Corners: 3

Attendance: 2,242 (116 away)

Referee: Paul Howard

Town man of the match: Josh Staunton