Shaymen beaten by the better team as they suffer first defeat of the season at Boreham Wood

After the positives of last week's opening-day win, Town were brought back down to earth with a bump at Meadow Park.

This was a bit of a reality check for Town, a reminder that hard work lies ahead if they are to be competing with the likes of Boreham Wood for a play-off place.

There wasn't a gaping chasm between the teams, the hosts were effective rather than amazing, but after a fairly even first-half, Boreham Wood went ahead through Kwesi Appiah and Jamal Fyfield and their lead rarely looked in any serious jeopardy.

It was your typical Boreham Wood game in many ways - physical, nip-and-tuck and scrapping for every ball.

Flowing football was limited, second balls fought over intensely.

It was also, in many ways, a tale of two goalkeepers, with the captains Nathan Ashmore and Sam Johnson the stand-out performers.

After the lively Enrico Sousa and Tylor Golden both saw efforts flash off target across goal, Ashmore was nearly caught out - wouldn't be the first time against Halifax would it - when Rob Harker blocked his clearance and the ball rolled towards the empty net, but the keeper scampered back to paw it behind.

More good play from Sousa set-up Mo Sagaf to fire narrowly over, before Johnson kept the hosts out with two excellent saves within a minute, first denying Appiah and then Fyfield.

They'd get their goals eventually though.

Boreham Wood had shaded it, with The Shaymen not really matching them stride-for-stride in the chances stakes.

But Ashmore came up with two superb saves of his own before the break as Town finally bared their teeth going forward, with a bullet shot from Evans, Halifax's first effort on target, brilliantly tipped away, and then another fine reaction save to deny Milli Alli one on one after a Boreham Wood free-kick on halfway went horribly wrong.

Alli and Cappello had flitted in and out of the game, with Harker lacking decent service.

Boreham Wood were winning the midfield battle and seeing more of the ball as a result.

Town were aggressive, you have to be against Boreham Wood and worked hard off the ball. Their back five out of possession was holding firm, although Sousa was making ominous-looking inroads against Galvin down their right side.

A non-descript start to the second-half, other than Alli's shot over from 20 yards, was punctuated a few minutes in when Appiah headed in a free-kick from the left at the far post.

For a side with six clean sheets in their last eight games, it was a soft way for Town to fall behind.

The Shaymen now needed something different - an increase in tempo, someone to get on the ball and dictate play, more attacking intent.

Defending set-pieces into the box would have been a start, as Tom Whelan's corner bobbled around, with Halifax failing to react before the unmarked Fyfield calmly side-footed in from eight yards.

Having both been forced into terrific saves in the first-half, Ashmore was now redundant, with The Shaymen mustering a negligible response.

Halifax were too easy to defend against, not testing Boreham Wood enough. Alli was the only one producing any efforts, but none of them were on target.

There was certainly more attacking intent from Town as they sought a way back into the game, but not enough quality to engineer it.

There was a late flurry from Town, who didn't give up, with Adam Senior's effort blocked in-front of the line and Jordan Keane's long-range shot saved.

It was too little, too late.

Boreham Wood: Ashmore, Fyfield, Bush, Agbontohoma, Ilesanmi, Sousa (Coxe 78), Owens (O'Neil 72), Whelan, Sagaf, Marsh (Ndlovu 60), Appiah. Subs not used: Abayomi, Stephens.

Scorer: Appiah (51), Fyfield (62)

Shots on target: 5

Shots off target: 5

Corners: 4

Halifax: Johnson, Senior, Keane, Stott, Golden (Oluwabori 74), Hunter (Cosgrave 90), Evans, Galvin (Wright 60), Cappello, Alli, Harker. Subs not used: Cooke, Cummings.

Shots on target: 5

Shots off target: 8

Corners: 7

Referee: Sam Mulhall

Attendance: 903 (114 away)

Town man of the match: Sam Johnson. Made some very good saves in the first-half to keep Town in it longer than they otherwise would have been.