Late controversial Yeovil goal denies Shaymen victory

Matty Warburton’s second half goal against his former club seemed to be enough to earn the Shaymen all three points against a fellow relegation rival, but Linton stole in at the back post to make it 1-1 and earn an important point for Yeovil, despite strong claims he was offside.

In a clash between the two lowest scoring teams in the National League, this low-scoring draw, perhaps, shouldn’t be too much of a surprise.

Chances came and went for Town in the first half, with Warburton forging three opportunities for himself, although Mani Dieseruvwe was in a better position to finish one of those off.

Town have been in much-improved form since last playing at The Shay - a 5-0 victory over Wealdstone which has kick-started a run of four games without conceding a goal, as well as progression to the FA Trophy semi-finals.

And they knew three points here would have been crucial against a fellow relegation rival who sat in 19th position before a ball was kicked, two places and three points above the drop zone.

Town were not too much further ahead in the table, in 16th, but, although the Glovers weren’t able to reduce that gap come full time, the nature - and timing of their equalising goal - may feel like a defeat for Chris Millington’s men.

Halifax’s sudden upturn in form has delighted Millington, who insisted before the game that his team were now “a different animal,” with different “energy,” who offer a different “threat,” while being occupied with a “different type of resilience.”

And that threat was evidenced in the first couple of minutes as Tylor Golden enticed former Shayman Josh Staunton into a rash foul, with Jack Senior’s set piece causing brief panic in the visitors’ box before being eventually cleared.

More chaos in the area was soon to follow as Dieseruvwe applied pressure to the Yeovil goalkeeper, Grant Smith, whose clearance fell kindly to Milli Alli.

Alli, who netted Town’s opening goal in their FA Trophy quarter-final victory at Aldershot last weekend, selflessly crossed for Warburton, who will feel he should have done better from ten yards, as he could only skew his effort wide.

Yeovil, with only one win in their past ten games, and only one victory away from home in the league all season, recovered from their slack start and always looked dangerous when Jordan Maguire-Drew had possession.

His first major involvement came after 12 minutes when Andrew Oluwabori scampered clear and found the former Leyton Orient and Grimsby attacker, but there was too much on his teasing cross for Matt Worthington.

Moments later, Maguire-Drew got to the byline again but, this time, his low cross just evaded Alex Fisher in the six yard box before Ryan Law went down asking for a penalty, which was refused by referee Jamie O’Connor.

Maguire-Drew then forced the game’s first corner, which Town cleared, leading to a neat passage of play involving Alli, Warburton and Harvey Gilmour, who was rewarded for sealing Town’s place in the last four of the Trophy from the bench last weekend, with a starting role.

He was one of two changes from that side, along with Adam Senior coming into a five-man defence, which were more than holding their own against Yeovil, and Maguire-Drew.

Town’s best chance of the half should have fallen to Dieseruvwe after he had expertly played in Alli. But the cut-back was taken off the striker’s right foot by Warburton, who couldn’t get his shot away.

Dieseruvwe had Town’s first effort on target but his header caused no problems for Smith.

Yeovil had another half-hearted penalty appeal waved away by the referee, in charge of only his fourth game at this level, when the lively Maguire-Drew curled the ball into the box for substitute Malachi Linto, who went down under pressure from Golden.

Warburton then claimed he was fouled in the area when he was trying to get on the end of a Golden cross. Frustrated with that decision, the midfielder took aim from 25 yards with a vicious drive which flew narrowly over Smith’s bar, with the goalkeeper well beaten.

There was still time, in first half injury time, for Alli to run through on goal but he could only prod wide under pressure from Staunton.

The half-time scoreline of 0-0 won’t have caused shocks around The Shay, with Yeovil being the division’s second lowest scorers away from home with 13 - only the Shaymen have scored less on their travels with 12.

Sam Johnson didn’t have a shot to save in the first half but he was called into action six minutes after the restart when another ex-Shayman, Charlie Cooper - son of Yeovil manager Mark - shot from range, but it was straight at the Town goalkeeper.

Maguire-Drew then produced a lovely cross which seemed destined to be turned into the net before it was eventually cleared by Golden.

And Town punished them in clinical fashion as Alli released Warburton to calmly finish past Smith to score against the club he was on loan at during the 2020-21 season.

Both goalkeepers had to be alert to keep out routine headers which were straight at them before Alli had a superb chance to double their lead, racing through on goal, but he was denied by the outstretched leg of Smith.

And it was a crucial intervention as Yeovil, out of nothing equalised as the clock ticked towards the 90th minute.

Johnson made a brave stop to deny Fisher but Oluwabori’s rebound effort was turned in by Linton on the line, despite Town’s strong claims that the substitute was in an offside position. Those claims weren’t helped with the linesman’s flag initially being raised, as confusion raged among the home players – Johnson was shown a yellow card for his protests – and fans.

Yeovil, however, have only scored more than once in two league away fixtures this campaign, so if there was going to be a winner, Town would have been the more likely of the two sides.

And so it proved when substitute Rob Harker cut the ball back for Alli, who was somehow denied by a brave Staunton block, as the points were shared.

Halifax: Johnson, J Senior (c), A Senior, Stott (Cappello 61), Debrah, Golden, Hunter, Gilmour, Warburton (Cooke 67), Alli, Dieseruvwe (Harker 79)

Subs not used: Summerfield, Harker, Arthur

Scorers: Warburton (62)

Shots on target: 5

Shots off target: 6

Corners: 2

Yeovil: Smith, Law, Staunton, Bevan, Agbaje (Johnson 73), D’Ath (Linton 25), Cooper, Worthington, Maguire-Drew, Oluwabori, Fisher

Subs not used: Buse, Reckord

Scorers: Linton (89)

Shots on target: 3

Shots off target: 2

Corners: 2

Attendance: 1623

Referee: Jamie O’Connor