Match Report: FC Halifax Town 2 Yeovil Town 0

A below par Yeovil Town failed to score for the first time this season as they went down to defeat at FC Halifax Town in an early kick-off on Saturday.

The Glovers went behind when Cody Johnson’s free-kick beat goalkeeper Jos Barker at his near post just before the hour, and then Will Flint turned home a close range finish to make it 2-0 soon after.

Defender Archie Davies saw red soon after when he was sent off for a second bookable offence on 69 minutes.

First half

The first chance of the game fell to the visitors after Brett McGavin fed Slavi Spasov after two minutes. The striker beat how defender but his effort lacked any power.

There were breaks in both directions and a succession of Halifax corners, but the next meaningful action that either keeper had to did not come until the 18th minute. Johl Powell nicked the ball in the middle of the pitch, drove forward but hosts’ keeper True Grant did well to bravely get down at his feet to see away the danger.

At the other end, Jos Barker was called in to action seven minutes pater when he got down smartly to palm away a close range header from Conor Carty around the post. But a bigger blow came shortly after when captain Brett McGavin was replaced by Archie Davies. One can only assume that change was driven by an injury to the midfielder rather than tactical.

For large periods of the first half, Halifax dominates possession and asked a lot of questions of the Yeovil side in particular in wide positions with Ben Tollitt in particular looking tricky on the left side.

There was time for one more opening for the visitors as Ryan Jones dribbled his way through a host of defenders but his shot was not firm enough to trouble Grant.

Half-time: FC Halifax Town 0 Yeovil Town 0

Second half

The second half began in a similar fashion to how the first finished with Halifax enjoying the bulk of the possession but without really threatening the Yeovil goal.

The breakthrough came just before the hour mark when Cody JOHNSON whipped in a free kick from the edge of the box which beat Barker at his near post.

Yeovil pressed for an immediate response with Jones forcing a good save out of Grant, and then a long pass out from a Davies picked out Powell whose effort trickled just wide.

The Glovers were left to rue their missed chances even more when Halifax doubled their advantage on 66 minutes. Tollitt cut in from the left with too much ease and squeezed a ball in to the middle where Will FLINT was there to touch it home from close range.

It felt like there was a mountain to climb for the visitors and two minutes later that became an Everest when Davies was sent off after a rash tackle on the edge of the box saw him get his second yellow card with 69 minutes gone. With Ben Radcliffe and Jordan Norville-Williams already missing through suspension and injury respectively, the loss of another defensive option will be particularly painful.

With 15 minutes remaining, Yeovil boss Billy Rowley made a triple substitution bringing on Mason Obeng, Owen Dean and Loick Ayina. Carty bent a free kick inches past the post in the 83rd minute as the home side pressed to add to their advantage. For Yeovil, it was just damage limitation.

Overall, it was a bad day at the office where Halifax’s in-your-face style triumphed over the Glovers’ more patient approach. There have not been too many bad days at the office this season, but this was one of them.

Full time: FC  Halifax Town 2 Yeovil Town 0

Substitutes: Archie Davies (for Brett McGavin, 26), Loick Ayina (for Zain Westbrooke 75), Mason Obeng (for Seb Naylor, 75), Owen Dean (for Slavi Spasov, 75), Charlie Lennon (not used), Ste Walker (not used), Matt Gould (not used).

FC Halifax Town: True Grant, Lucas Houghton, Will Flint, Shaun Hobson, Deniche Hill (for Dylan Crowe, 74), Cody Johnson (for Tayt Trusty, 74), Will Hugill (for Zac Gilsenan, 80), Connor Douglas, Tommy McDermott (for Amari Morgan-Smith, 80), Ben Tollitt (for Owen Bray, 85), Conor Carty.

Substitutes (not used): Kobe Mathers, Mackenzie Maltby.