Will Harris missed an injury time penalty as FC Halifax Town's play-off hopes took what look to be a fatal blow in a 2-2 draw with Tamworth.

After Stefan Mols' opener, goals from Jay Turner-Cooke and Will Smith got Halifax in-front, but Oli Lynch levelled for Tamworth, who then somehow survived a Shaymen onslaught, and Harris late penalty, to leave with a point.

With Southend winning at Sutton, the gap is now surely too big to be overcome, despite a spirited effort here and in recent weeks by Halifax.

After three consecutive clean sheets on the road, Town conceded after 53 seconds here when Mols headed in a corner at the near post to stun The Shay.

Halifax's response was good though, with Turner-Cooke's free-kick on target and Harris' header off target after a flowing move, and Tamworth pinned back.

There were a couple of efforts on target from Dylan Crowe, one after a lovely touch by Josh Hmami to Kieron Morris - one of three changes from Good Friday, along with Jevon Mills and AJ Warburton.

Most of Halifax's attacks were coming down the right flank, with Warburton and Morris getting into promising positions but not delivering enough quality.

Other than a couple of routine saves, Sam Johnson hadn't done anything since the goal, but was needed for a crucial save to deny Lynch one-on-one midway through the first 45.

A shot on the turn by Morris from the right of the box half-an-hour in brought the best save yet from Jas Singh.

Morris and Hmami had shown some deft touches amid some attractive approach play by Town, who were dominating the game.

Mills and Hmami both had decent chances inside the box before a terrific lofted pass by Cody Johnson found Hmami left of the box, but Singh, who by now had been booked for time-wasting, turned his shot behind for a corner, which was headed wide by an unmarked Mills.

The chances were getting gilt-edged as the half went on, with Warburton wasting the best so far when he tamely headed a left-wing cross wide at the far post.

The second-half picked up where the first left off, with only the post saving Tamworth from an own goal after a cross from the left

Halifax's pressure, which was leading to some increasingly desperate defending from Tamworth, finally told when Turner-Cooke scored his second in as many games when a pass was flicked beautifully into his path by Harris and he kept his cool to finish into the bottom corner.

Three minutes later, the turnaround was complete when Turner-Cooke's low cross was converted at the back post by the unmarked Smith.

The Shaymen were looking ruthless, energised and unstoppable, but Tamworth burst the balloon when Lynch converted a cross from the left at close range.

After that, it was more Town dominance, with Owen Bray adding an extra dimension at left wing-back, and seeing a shot saved by Singh before Harris looped a header over.

Tamworth were under siege, although a good save and the offside flag prevented them from taking an undeserved lead on the break.

A shot at full stretch by Harris, kept out by Singh, preceded a final throw of the dice as Flo Hoti and David Kawa came on and Town went for it, producing wave after wave of attacks, knowing Southend were winning comfortably at Sutton.

Halifax were given a lifeline in added time for a handball on the line, for which Tamworth had a man sent-off, but Harris' poor penalty was saved by Singh, and with it, the hosts' chances of a top seven finish all-but evaporated.

Halifax: Johnson, Smith, Palmer, Mills (Kawa 82), Warburton, C Johnson, Turner-Cooke, Crowe (Bray 68), Hmami (Hoti 82), Morris (Hugill 68), Harris. Subs not used: Ford, Adetoro, Lavery.

Scorers: Turner-Cooke (56), Smith (58)

Shots on target: 11

Shots off target: 12

Corners: 5

Tamworth: Singh, Curley, Cullinane-Liburd, Rye, Fairlamb, Riley (Tonks 88), Lynch (Bates 69), Kurtaran, Isichei (Acquaye 64), Mols (McGlinchey 88), Creaney (Reindorf 88). Subs not used: Rachel, Hollis.

Scorers: Mols (1), Lynch (63)

Shots on target: 7

Shots off target: 1

Corners: 4

Attendance: 1,304 (101 away)

Referee: Aaron Bannister

Town man of the match: With a goal and an assist, I'll go for Jay Turner-Cooke. Like his Town team-mates, he gave it all he had.