SHAYMEN IN THE MIX AS TERRAS ARE SCHOOLED

SECOND-HALF goals from Tom Bradbury and impressive sub Zac Dearnley ensured FC Halifax Town kept up their promotion bid with a crucial victory at Weymouth.

It’s now ten points from a possible 12 for the Shaymen, who climb to fourth in the table, five points inside the play-off cut-off point.

“It was a really professional performance,” beamed boss Pete Wild. “In the first half we had to deal with the conditions, the ball swirling.

“The two goals we scored were very clinical. We spoke about one of the ways we could get in behind them was run off the back of them, with JT [Jamie Thomas] and Dearnley – what a finish.”

As for Weymouth, defeat leaves them nine points adrift of safety at the other end of the table but boss David Oldfield urged his men to keep up the fight.

“We’re all annoyed that we didn’t manage to match the passion of the fans enough,” Oldfield said.

“To concede such preventable and soft goals is a recipe for disaster. We need to make sure we have that spirit and competitiveness going forward.”

Weymouth started on the front foot from the very first minute, winning a corner which captain Josh McQuoid floated into the box and finding Dan Smith, whose left-foot goalbound volley caused panic in the Halifax defence but the visitors were able to clear.

On the stroke of half time, Halifax went closest to breaking the deadlock when Martin Woods connected with a ball from the right with his left foot, the ball was taken by the wind and crashed against the cross bar.

Kian Spence headed the rebound over but he was flagged for offside.

Halifax started the second half as they finished the first with Woods again latching onto a set-piece from the edge of the area, only to be met with a fine save from Ross Fitzsimons at his near post.

But, three minutes later, their pressure finally paid off. Luke Summerfield floated a freekick into the box, the ball was flicked on behind by Ollie Harfield but only as far as Bradbury, who stole a yard at the far post to tap home.

Weymouth had to wait until the 84th minute to register their first serious effort on goal. A long throw in found its way to Tom Blair in the area, he let fly with a shot on the turn, but the substitute failed to connect properly with the ball.

And the visitors added insult to injury when doubling their lead in the 90th minute. A long ball down the right came to Jamie Thomas, who had just entered the field of play. The winger cut inside well and slid in a low pass to the front post which was tapped in well by fellow sub Dearnley just yards away from goal, and he finished with aplomb.

STAR MAN: Jesse Debrah (FC Halifax)

ATT: 1,026

ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★☆☆

REFEREE: Elliott Swallow