MATCH VERDICT: FC Halifax Town 1-1 Notts County

Eli Sam's early goal looked to have been enough to seal a win for County, but Allen's tenacity mirrored his team's as they refused to accept another defeat.

It appeared to be another case of nearly but not quite for The Shaymen, who had their chances but again didn't take them.

But they deserved their equaliser as, other than the goals, there was little between the sides.

They left it late, but Allen's goal could be the shot in the arm Town need to start moving up the table.

New signing Neil Danns began on the bench, with Niall Maher and Jack Senior coming in as wing-backs, and Jamie Allen replacing Matty Stenson.

Town were a man down within five minutes against Wealdstone, and were a goal down within ten here as, from Jake Reeves' excellent through ball, Sam coolly finished past Sam Johnson from inside the box.

From Town's point of view, the goal was too easy though, with not enough pressure on Reeves and no-one tracking Sam's run.

County were composed, calm and comfortable after the goal, passing the ball with assurance in the knowledge they had Town exactly where they wanted them, chasing the game.

Town were scrappy in response, getting into decent areas but lacking the finesse to create chances.

Niall Maher and Jack Senior were pushing forward down the flanks, and Jake Hyde linking play effectively, but it was too disjointed from Town.

Neither side offered much threat, with not enough tempo or urgency in the final third.

The service to Hyde and Allen was poor, and the two frontmen saw hardly any of the ball inside the County penalty box.

There was plenty for Pete Wild to ruminate on, perched on the edge of his seat in the East Stand. Not the result of a touchline ban, he said, but to take a step away from the heat of the dugout after his sending off last week.

Martin Woods saw a looping shot cleared just in-front of the line with keeper Sam Slocombe beaten as the half-hour mark approached.

Like against Wealdstone, Town got better as the half went on and probably didn't want the interval to arrive.

The Town boss was up out of his seat just before half-time when Richard Brindley produced a superb clearance inside the six-yard box from a header across goal with Hyde about to pounce.

Wild then leapt to his feet expecting the net to bulge when the ball was blasted goalwards from close range, but Slocombe miraculously deflected it onto the post with his leg as County clung on to half-time.

It had been a microcosm of Town's season - not brilliant but not outplayed, reasons for encouragement and costly missed chances.

Green put a half-chance wide a few minutes after the break when he prodded wide having beaten Slocombe to a long ball on the edge of the box.

Town were quicker and sharper now, with Allen especially lively.

He burst forward and found Hyde on the edge of the box, but Hyde's touch was heavy and the chance went.

Jack Earing and Gevaro Nepomuceno were brought on, but still Town couldn't find the extra gear they needed.

Only a magnificent save by Sam Johnson prevented County extending their lead from Reeves' excellent long-range effort.

Substitute Callum Roberts squandered a great chance to put County out of reach when he dragged the ball wide from Reeves' through ball.

Fellow sub Nepomuceno then also missed a clear opportunity when he side footed wide from Luke Summerfield's low cross.

Time seemed to have got the better of Town but Allen didn't give up on a long ball as County failed to deal with it, and he burst through one-on-one with Slocombe, and kept his cool to find the net.

Halifax: Johnson, Byrne, Clarke, Bradbury, Maher, Summerfield, Woods, Senior, Green (Earing 70), Allen, Hyde (Nepomuceno 70). Subs not used: Davison-Hale, Tear, Danns.

Scorer: Allen (90)

Shots on target: 4

Shots off target: 8

Corners: 3

Notts County: Slocombe, Brindley, Rawlinson, Lacey (Turner 46), Kelly-Evans, Boldewijn, Reeves, Doyle, O'Brien, Wootton, Sam (Roberts 66). Subs not used: Wolfe, Knowles, Rodrigues.

Scorer: Sam (7)

Shots on target: 2

Shots off target: 9

Corners: 4

Referee: Steven Copeland

Town man of the match: Jamie Allen - Town's best attacking threat, a willing runner and showed good pace and movement. Deserved his goal.