FC Halifax Town let a two-goal lead slip as they drew 2-2 at home to Wealdstone.

Josh Hmami and Cody Johnson had put Town in a commanding position, but they contrived to throw it away as the visitors fought back to claim a point.

Town can take a lot of positives from their performance, but they're of little consolation when their main positive here should have been three valuable points.

Halifax started the game with the snap and bang of a Christmas cracker, with Max Wright making his first start in the league since February at right-back.

Will Harris should have put them ahead in the third minute but his powerful shot was straight at keeper Dante Baptiste.

The Wealdstone stopper then made an outstanding save to tip Hmami's shot onto the bar after Angelo Cappello’s low cross.

When Town had the chance, they were playing some sparkling stuff, with Cappello and Thierry Latty-Fairweather combining especially well.

But the game got bogged down in stoppages and free-kicks, disrupting Halifax's rhythm and making the match more disjointed, and as stodgy as overcooked Christmas pudding, which suited the visitors.

They weathered the early pressure and came more into the game, forcing a fine reaction save from Sam Johnson after a shot from outside the box was deflected off Cappello.

He then did brilliantly to win the ball back against the considerably taller Wealdstone captain Jack Cook, before he was bundled over in the box.

The visitors protested furiously - this time it was their turn to feel unjust at a refereeing decision in this fixture - before Hmami drove the spot-kick in.

Problems with penalties? Not any more: those early season sitters feel a long time ago now.

Town started the second-half as well as the first, doubling their lead through a rapid counter-attack from a Wealdstone corner, with Cappello keeping his composure in acres of space on the right and laying on a simple finish for Johnson.

Bray nearly added a third midway through what was a fairly routine second-half for The Shaymen, but Baptiste pulled off an outstanding save to tip it over.

Halifax looked far likelier to score next than Wealdstone: the best they could produce was a tame header from ex-Town loanee Micah Obiero.

Halifax were as comfortable as a pair of slippers on Christmas night, but out of nothing, Dom Hutchinson got one back after goalmouth scramble, and suddenly, the complexion of the game changed entirely.

Crosses were now being delieverd with belief rather than hope by the visitors, and The Shaymen were holding on.

An equaliser looked ominously possible, and arrived in gut-wrenchinh fashion when Hutchinson's cross deflected in off Latty-Fairweather.

Substitute David Kawa then should have won it deep into added time after another Town break from a Wealdstone corner, but fired over one-on-one.

Halifax: Johnson, Latty-Fairweather, Adetoro, Smith, Cappello (Kawa 87), C Johnson, Turner-Cooke, Bray (Hugill 71), Hmami, Wright (Mills 77), Harris (Devonport 77). Subs not used: Ford, Hobson, Jenkins.

Scorers: Hmami (39 pen), C Johnson (48)

Shots on target: 6

Shots off target: 5

Corners: 9

Wealdstone: Baptiste, Cook (Tiensia 46), Woodman, Georgiou, McAvoy, Hutchinson, Mussa, Agyemang, Tshikuna (Olomola 76), Hassan, Obiero (Nkrumah 76). Subs not used: Johnson, Kadji, Diarra, Turner.

Scorer: Hutchinson (80, 90)

Shots on target: 5

Shots off target: 5

Corners: 4

Attendance: 1,285 (76 away)

Referee: James Westgate

Town man of the match: Special mention to Angelo Cappello for his two assists and a lot more besides. Looked a real threat, especially in the first-half. But I'll give it to Cody Johnson, who was excellent in midfield and capped his display with his first Town goal.