Shaymen produce gutsy display to win 2-1 at Oldham Athletic

Rob Harker's stunning goal was cancelled out before half-time by Mark Shelton, but Adam Senior scored from a second-half corner to win it for The Shaymen.

Halifax showed superb character, heart and desire to bounce back from their first defeat of the season on Saturday and win in the backyard of one of the title favourites.

That was most definitely more like it.

The game took a little time to come to life after a sedate start, with Halifax settling fairly well.

Oldham looked a threat down their left side though, with full-back Liam Kitching's low cross diverted on target by Joe Nuttall after Town were carved open.

Kitching then marauded down the left and had a low shot tipped behind by Sam Johnson shortly afterwards.

But the hosts didn't build on that momentum, instead seeming to come off the gas, while Town stepped up a gear.

The Shaymen were making a better fist of it in possession than at the weekend. Jack Hunter and Jack Evans were seeing much more of the ball than on Saturday, while Town's two changes - Jamie Cooke and Andrew Oluwabori - were getting into some dangerous positions in-between the Oldham defence and midfield.

And so was Harker, who was given far too much time to turn and shoot 25 yards out, and unleash an absolute piledriver into the top left corner.

Town looked fluid, Oldham looked flat.

There were a few grumbles from the home fans as their side began to get sloppy on the ball and were struggling to find a way back into it.

Wingers Ben Tollitt and Brennan Dickenson had come off the flanks to good effect earlier in the half, linking play and proving difficult to pick up, but the hosts' composure had evaporated.

Halifax had them right where they wanted them, but frustratingly conceded another goal from a set-piece eight minutes later when Johnson came for a corner but didn't get it at the far post, it was headed back into the danger zone and finished past defenders on the line by Shelton.

Back to square one.

Dickenson blasted a shot just over for Oldham a few minutes after the restart, with Oldham dominating the contest.

Town were far too sloppy in possession, losing it whenever they ventured beyond the halfway line.

They should have punished a mistake at the back by Oldham when Cooke latched onto the ball high up the pitch, but he opted to pass to Hunter rather than shoot and the keeper snuffed out any potential effort.

Town had gradually found their feet in the second-half though, with Oldham unable to turn their superiority into chances.

Harker should have scored again after being found to the left of the box by Oluwabori, but Mat Hudson raced off his line to save it.

But from the resulting corner, Senior bundled the ball in for his first Halifax goal.

Town were scoring from set-pieces now.

Oldham again looked a little short of inspiration, with Town breathing down their necks inside their own half, repelling their advances.

With no chances to speak of, attention switched to the increasingly tempestuous nature of the game, with Oluwabori lucky to escape a second booking, Hunter going in strongly on an Oldham man and Mike Fondop doing the same on Tylor Golden.

Halifax were showing good game management though, threatening a second through Max Wright's 25-yarder but generally keeping Oldham at bay effectively.

There was an inevitable retreat to the edge of their own box as the clock ticked down, and Town survived strong penalty shouts for a challenge by Golden on Fondop in added time.

Oldham: Hudson, Freeman, Hogan, Raglan, Kitching, Sheron, Tollitt (Reid 82), Shelton, Dickenson, Norwood, Nuttall (Fondop 67). Subs not used: Hobson, Willoughby, Gardner.

Scorer: Shelton (39)

Shots on target: 3

Shots off target: 8

Corners: 6

Halifax: Johnson, Senior, Keane, Stott, Golden, Hunter, Evans, Galvin, Oluwabori (Cappello 90), Cooke (Wright 78), Harker. Subs not used: Cosgrave, Cummings, Summerfield.

Scorers: Harker (31), Senior (66)

Shots on target: 5

Shots off target: 7

Corners: 5

Attendance: 7,964 (808 away)

Referee: Steven Copeland

Town man of the match: Jack Evans. A hive of activity in the middle of the pitch. Ran and ran and ran, linked play really well and helped win the midfield battle along with Hunter. A lot of seven or eight out of tens though from Town.