Magpies rocked as Shaymen hit late leveller to snatch a point
SAM GIVES MAGPIES THE LEAD BUT HALIFAX SNATCH POINT
NOTTS County were stung by Halifax Town’s last-minute leveller in the National League last night.
Elisha Sam gave the Magpies a sixth-minute lead as they returned to action but Jamie Allen had the last word for the home side, equalising to ensure the Shaymen took a share of the spoils in a 1-1 draw at The Shay.
Neal Ardley’s men didn’t waste much time in cutting open a complacent Halifax defence.
It seemed all too easy for Jake Reeves to step up into the final third before playing in Sam, who produced a simple finish to give the visitors an early lead.
Notts contined on the front foot before a mistake by Michael Doyle allowed Halifax a chance to level that they could not take.
The Magpies started to show more patience in possession, looking for another through ball to set either Sam or Kyle Wootton free.
At the other end, Magpies keeper Sam Slocombe was first tested when Jack Senior moved forward but the shot was tame.
However, Ardley’s side had a great chance to extend their lead when a corner fell to Wootton but his strike was accidentally blocked by teammate Enzio Boldewijn.
Halifax also went close, though, when Allen’s spinning shot beat Slocombe but not Magpies defender Connell Rawlinson, who headed away.
A Luke Summerfield free-kick then arced over Slocombe’s crossbar moments later.
The Magpies continued to defend, full-back Richard Brindley doing superbly to clear in his own six-yard box and requiring medical treatment as a result.
And in the closing stages of the first half, Slocombe made a great save to frustrate Kieran Green.
Slocombe saved again from Green early in the second half and Halifax continued to apply pressure with the Magpies battling to keep them at bay.
But it wasn’t all one-way traffic as Reeves raced forward before unleashing a fierce drive that was pushed away by Halifax keeper Sam Johnson.
Halifax substitute Gevaro Nepomuceno fired wide after entering the fray in the 70th minute, while Rawlinson went close for the Magpies.
Just when it seemed as though Notts would claim a precious away win, Halifax grabbed a leveller.
Allen chased a long ball and raced through before sliding his shot under Slocombe to make it 1-1.
It was a tough result to take for Ardley’s men, who were back on the field after last Wednesday’s home game against Stockport County was postponed due to Covid-19 positive tests in the Hatters’ camp, and they will be aiming for better on Saturday when they travel to take on Chesterfield, who are struggling third from bottom after last night’s 3-2 away defeat against Altrincham.
Halifax Town: Johnson, Senior, Summerfield, Clarke, Byrne, Hyde (Nepomuceno, 70), Allen, Green (Earing, 70), Woods, Bradbury, Maher.
Notts County: Slocombe, Rawlinson, KellyEvans, Brindley, Lacey (Turner, 45), Boldewijn, Reeves, O’brien, Wootton, Doyle, Sam (Roberts, 67).