Harker's goal earns Shaymen their fifth win in eight league games against Boreham Wood

Rob Harker's winner earned FC Halifax Town their fifth victory in eight league games as they beat Boreham Wood 1-0 at The Shay.
The Shay. Photo: Marcus BranstonThe Shay. Photo: Marcus Branston
The Shay. Photo: Marcus Branston

Harker scored the winner the last time Town were at home, against Oldham, and did so again here as The Shaymen's rise up the National League table continues.

The Shaymen played with real heart, spirit and determination, showing a passion and desire that simply wasn't there in the season's early weeks but which now runs through the side in everything they do.

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Both teams were better off the ball than on it in the early stages.

Town were pretty ragged, simple passes not finding their intended destination, possession fleeting, control of the game out of reach.

Boreham Wood set-up as expected, with three big bruisers at the back and a well-organised side in-front of them.

The game wasn't too dissimilar to Bromley, requiring something or someone to bring it to life.

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What decent football was being played came from the home side though, who steadily grew into the match and looked good when they strung some pass-and-move together.

Luke Summerfield's shot from a lay-off by Harker, Town's only change in place of the suspended Mani Dierseruvwe, stood out hugely in a scrappy, uneventful first 20 minutes.

Boreham Wood barely made an attacking impression in the opening-half after a very early barrage of crosses, their best effort being a cross-shot well wide by Tyrone Marsh.

The away side had three talented central midfielders but barely used them, going long too often and getting nowhere.

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Angelo Capello was making an impression down the left, bringing a save from Nathan Ashmore, with Tylor Golden on the opposite flank also getting on the ball high and wide, but Halifax's crosses were repeatedly dealt with by the visitors' big three centre backs.

Harker was giving it best but getting little joy against them, more than once being pushed and pulled like an unruly partygoer being manhandled by nightclub bouncers.

Patience was a virtue for The Shaymen though, who were better playing through midfield rather than bypassing it; when they got the ball upfield with pace and accuracy, spaces opened up for the hosts.

Halifax had displayed much more adventurousness and ambition than Boreham Wood, but as against Bromley, not enough quality and poor decision-making.

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Boreham Wood's first shot on target came a few minutes after the restart, when Jamal Fyfield was left unmarked from a corner, but Summerfield blocked his shot in-front of the line.

Harker then hit the post from the right of the box after a superb through ball by the again impressive Jamie Stott.

But he went one better when, moments after Town had screamed for a penalty, Harvey Gilmour's shot was spilled by Ashmore and Harker was there to knock in the rebound from two yards.

Boreham Wood boss Luke Garrard's response was to change his front-two; had Chris Millington made a double change he'd have used half of his bench.

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It remained a tight, combative, tetchy contest, with Boreham Wood now playing a lot higher up the pitch, attacking down the flanks, especially their left, but leaving spaces at the back.

If the visitors played with the zip and energy Town did going forward, they'd have caused The Shaymen much more cause for concern.

But it was all a bit too slow and predictable against a Town side who were defending well and keeping their shape.

Boreham Wood had more bookings than chances as the match entered the final stages, as their frustrations got the better of them.

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But they hadn't done enough to deserve a way back into the game.

Town had come closer to scoring, with an effort ruled out for offside and Summerfield's free-kick tipped over by Ashmore at full stretch.

Halifax: Johnson, Hunter, Stott, Senior, Golden, Summerfield, Gilmour, Capello (Minihan 83), Cooke (Warburton 66), Spence, Harker (Alli 76). Subs not used: Scott.

Scorer: Harker (59)

Shots on target: 6

Shots off target: 7

Corners: 3

Boreham Wood: Ashmore, Coxe, Gordon (Lewis 69), Evans, Fyfield, Ilesanmi, Broadbent, Payne, Brunt, Ndlovu (Andrade 61), Marsh (Elliott 61). Subs not used: Rees, Williams.

Shots on target: 1

Shots off target: 4

Corners: 3

Attendance: 1,838

Referee: Lewis Smith

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Town man of the match: Luke Summerfield showed once again why he is such an important player in this Town side. A voracious work rate, setting a fine example to others, combined with such coolness and composure on the ball.