MATCH VERDICT: Woking 0-0 FC Halifax Town

FC Halifax Town earned a creditable point for the third successive game as they drew 0-0 at Woking.
Woking v FC Halifax TownWoking v FC Halifax Town
Woking v FC Halifax Town

It was a game between two good sides rather than a really good game.

Both sides had chances and spells, although Halifax shaded it for a more purposeful and controlled performance.

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Town might have still only one win to their name so far, but this is another useful point, and another clean sheet, against a tough side, and another tricky fixture negotiated without another notch in the loss column.

Pete Wild shuffled his pack for the visit to The Cards, making four changes.

There was a first start of the season for Niall Maher, and returns for Gevaro Nepomuceno, Jack Earing and Martin Woods, while Jake Hyde was on the bench. Gold Omotayo dropped out of the 16.

Town started positively, winning 50-50's, trying to get up the pitch and use the pace of Jamie Allen and Gevaro Nepomuceno.

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Jeff King again pushed high up the right flank to good effect, with Luke Summerfield again doing the simple things well in midfield, receiving the ball in space, retaining possession and intercepting danger.

A sloppy pass by Jack Cook gifted the ball to Jack Earing 30 yards out, but his shot was excellently tipped behind by Craig Ross.

King then gave the ball away with a square pass which Woking pounced on, shifting it to Ben Dempsey, whose shot was also brilliantly saved by Sam Johnson one-on-one.

But the only chances created were from mistakes, with open play generally lacking much inventiveness or inspiration.

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Both defences were on top, well organised and disciplined. In-front of them was a congested midfield area in which both sides were largely cancelling each other out.

It didn't quite have the intensity or energy of the Yeovil game, with attacks more sporadic and play more stop-start.

Town arguably offered more of a threat than their hosts, with Allen's pace worrying yet another opposition back-line, but the striker wastefully fired off target in oodles of time and space 25 yards out.

A fantastic first touch by Allen got him clear of a Woking defender before he burst into the box at an angle, but from his cross, a shot by the quieter Nepomuceno was very well saved by Ross.

Allen's follow-up was then blazed wide.

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Woking also had their moments, with Kane Ferdinand heading wide from Charlie Cooper's free kick and Dave Tarpey's shot deflected over.

Ross produced another terrific save to deny Danny Williams after the wing-back latched onto Neill Byrne's free-kick a few minutes after the restart.

Williams again beat Nathan Collier to a crossfield pass a couple of minutes later, and was fouled, to Town's disagreement, just outside the box.

Woking hadn't really got going since half-time, with Town's attacks more purposeful, but a couple of errors by The Shaymen led to half chances for the hosts just after the hour mark, as neither side was able to sustain a period of pressure.

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Overall though, Town's back three was again solid, constantly talking, well positioned to sniff out danger and providing a strong foundation.

Jake Hyde's first chance since coming on came when he headed wide from the influential Summerfield's corner, after another foray forward down the left by Williams.

It was Halifax asking the questions as the game entered its final stages, with the ball coming back at Woking more regularly as Town sensed a winner.

But the hosts nearly snatched it when Dempsey's shot was blocked just in-front of the line after a free kick wasn't properly dealt with by Johnson, and the follow-up shot was also blocked.

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Woking: Ross, Collier, Cook, Shotton, Casey, Cooper, Ferdinand, Dempsey, Tarpey (Jarvis 68), Goddard (Kretzschmar 78), Spasov (Hall 74). Subs not used: Block, Cartwright.

Shots on target: 3

Shots off target: 5

Corners: 3

Halifax: Johnson, Maher, Clarke, Byrne, King, Summerfield, Woods, Earing (Green 60), Williams (Senior 82), Allen, Nepomuceno (Hyde 60). Subs not used: Davison-Hale, Bradbury.

Shots on target: 2

Shots off target: 8

Corners: 8

Referee: Adrian Quelch

Town man of the match: Luke Summerfield - yet to have anything other than a good game for Town, the midfielder again showed an excellent range of passing in another calm and composed display