WARBURTON EARNS HIS DOUGH WITH BIG DOUBLE
A MATT Warburton double ensured FC Halifax Town made it seven points from nine from this week’s home trilogy to keep their promotion hopes alive.
But the Shaymen were indebted to an outstanding display from goalkeeper Sam Johnson in ensuring Darren Sarll suffered a first defeat as Woking boss.
Warburton struck the opener from the penalty spot following a handball from Solomon Nwabuokei and before adding a fine individual second midway through the second half.
Max Kretzschmar finally beat Johnson from the penalty spot to set up a tense finale but Halifax held on despite having sub Martin Woods sent off for a late tackle on Jack Roles.
“It was a battle and a very physical game,” said a relieved Pete Wild with his side sitting third in the table.
“The penalty settled us down and it was good to score early. There has been a lot of decisions that have been made by the referee and I need to sit down with him regarding some of them.”
Sarll was gracious in defeat, adding: “We were competitive, it was a good game. Pete Wild will be delighted with his side’s resilience and we are trying to bridge that gap. We were dominant in spells but doesn’t translate into points.”
The Shaymen took just 10 minutes to break the deadlock when a long throw from Javid Swaby-Neavin met the head of Kieran Green, who headed onto the hand of Nwabuokei. Warburton stepped up and converted from the spot down to the bottom right.
Woking never let up, however, and might have levelled soon after when a free-kick when Jesse Debrah was adjudged to have handled on the edge of the box and Kretzschmar’s freekick rattled the crossbar.
Johnson was called into action soon after when collecting a near-post cross from the left by Tyreke Johnson just in front of a waiting Inih Effiong.
Halifax always posed a threat at the other end, however – Kian Spence trying an audacious effort from outside the box which clipped the outside of the post.
But, on 67 minutes, Halifax did eventually double their lead. Billy Waters picked up the ball and playing in Warburton, who ran the length of the opposition half before slotting the ball home.
Johnson had to pull off a world class save from point blank range to deny Effiong as Woking hit back and on 75 minutes then deficit was halved when Luke Summerfield brought down Effiong inside the box and Kretzschmar made no mistake from the spot.
Woods saw red seven minutes from time, prompting a late Woking surge, but the excellent Johnson was again on hand to deny the visitors three times from inside the box to preserve a Town victory.