Wright marks birthday with match-winning brace
Birthday boy Max Wright scored twice as FC Halifax Town moved back into the play-off places with a 2-0 win at Kidderminster Harriers last Saturday.
Kidderminster were direct from the off, going back to front quickly to try and put Town under pressure and facing their own goal.
Town tried to play out from the back a bit more but there was a frenetic pace to the game which, combined with the swirling wind, made it hard for either team to establish control.
Possession switched hands like a tennis match most of the time; fiercely fought for bit then treated with nowhere near enough care when won.
There was precious little room for the artistry of Florent Hoti, who spent much of the opening half looking skyward as the high balls, second balls and windswept balls flew back and forth over his head.
The closest either side came in the first 30 minutes was a Charlie Weston shot from 25 yards that fizzed just wide.
Rob Harker and Luke Summerfield had fired off target from range for Town.
You couldn't question the commitment on show, but the quality was desperately lacking.
Even Kidderminster's long throws were lacking quality; Town fans were fuming that Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain got a second chance after what looked like a foul throw, and they would have been even more furious had Amari MorganSmith not scuffed his shot wide from it at the far post.
Kidderminster were imposing their style on the game more effectively than Halifax, who showed more glimpses of being able to retain possession as the first 45 went on, but neither team seriously threatened, or produced a shot on target, as the ball swirled around the pitch like an empty crisp packet.
Not much changed after the restart with Kidderminster still playing the conditions better and exerting the greater pressure, and Town reactive rather than proactive.
Weston again went close with another driven shot and Oxlade-Chamberlain's long throws were still causing panic.
It said much about the game that Hoti's virtuosity was withdrawn for Jack Evans'
industry.
Evans registered Halifax's first shot on target just after an hour, straight at Christian Dibble from the edge of the box, as well as adding some grit to the midfield.
And then shortly afterwards, Wright latched onto a through ball and produced a delightful chip over Dibble to edge Town in-front.
The goal seemed to add an extra 15, 20 per-cent to Town and take the same amount from Kidderminster, who weren't pressing or competing with the same intensity.
The Shaymen had shown admirable defensive resilience up until now, but found it more comfortable protecting their clean sheet at 1-0 than 0-0, with Kidderminster waning, their belief draining.
Alex Penny drove a shot over inside the Halifax box from one of several long throws, but Kidderminster were still to have a shot on target. And Wright sealed it when he drove towards the box unchallenged before his shot took a deflection on its way in.