Promising signs as Shaymen hit five against Maidenhead
IF THIS is what Jack Redshaw and Devante Rodney can do in their first game together, we’re in for quite a run-in.
In his first game back on loan, Rodney started alongside Redshaw and the pair spearheaded The Shaymen back into the top seven thanks to a thrilling second-half display.
Halifax scored five in a match for the first time since beating Tamworth 6-2 in January 2017, eventually beating Maidenhead convincingly after an even firsthalf.
There was an early move of promise when Niall Maher found Rodney in space, and the forward turned and ran at the Maidenhead defence before picking out Redshaw, whose shot was tipped over from near the penalty spot.
Town were good in parts, with Jack Redshaw offering good movement and Cooper plenty of bite in midfield, but poor in others, twice giving the ball away needlessly in as many minutes, but getting away with it.
The opening goal was the antidote to much of what had preceded it in the game, as Redshaw’s skill got him into the box before Danny Williams’ low cross was only half-cleared and Charlie Cooper’s blistering halfvolley arrowed into the far corner.
Halifax never really threatened to add a second before half-time though, and let Maidenhead back into it when Jeff King conceded a needless freekick down the left side of the penalty area, from which Ryan Upward nodded in at close range with The Magpies’ first effort on target.
Maidenhead weren’t brilliant but they were dogged and awkward, closing down and working hard. The Shaymen only showed what they could do in glimpses.
But moments after Odysseus Alfa just failed to make contact with Seth Twumasi’s cross for Maidenhead, Rodney characteristically burst down the right flank and laid it on a plate for Redshaw to tap-in.
That was more like it, and surely exactly what Pete Wild has in mind from his front two.
Rodney then capped an impressive comeback when shot was deflected in by Twumasi after a quick counter-attack when Sam Johnson’s throw set Cameron King on a marauding run forward.
Substitute Jamie Allen then nicked the ball off defender Joe Ellul before sliding it low into the net from an angle as The Shaymen killed off the visitors.
And Town weren’t finished there as, after Allen’s shot was well saved, they kept the ball alive and eventually substitute Michael Duckworth hammered it high into the net.
Maidenhead got one back through substitute Bernard Mensah’s terrific long range strike in added time to finally cap a frenetic final half-anhour.
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