Wings Well and truly beaten as Town keep up flying start
Richard Peniket’s first goals for FC Halifax Town helped extend their 100 per cent start to the season as they beat Welling 3-0 at the Shay. After a frustrating opening half Town cruised to the perfect end to a perfect first week against an unambitious Welling side.
Peniket’s brace came either side of Marc Roberts’s bullet header as any half-time hopes the visitors had of an unlikely point were quickly quashed.
Steve Williams kept his place alongside Roberts ahead of Simon Ainge, as did Danny Schofield after he replaced Ross Dyer at half-time against Southport.
Welling didn’t appear to have done their homework from that game as Lois Maynard was left unmarked from Adam Smith’s early corner, with his header cleared off the line.
Williams then headed just wide from Roberts’ long throw before Scott Boden‘s looping effort was tipped over by Lee Butcher as Town racked up three chances in the opening 10 minutes.
What homework the Wings did had persuaded them to sit deep and absorb pressure, with Smith, usually the answer to such conundrums, shadowed effectively by leftback Jamal Fyfield, cutting off his supply line.
Schofield had little joy on the left, and subsequently, Boden was on the periphery too, with Town’s best chances coming from set-pieces.
Williams again went close from another Roberts missile before Boden’s fine turn and shot was deflected narrowly wide as half-time beckoned.
Town fans could have been forgiven for reminiscing about a certain 30-goal striker given the 3-0 score at the interval in last season’s fixture.
Like on Tuesday, the Town manager didn’t hang around in changing things, with Jamie Jackson and Peniket introduced at half-time.
Jackson’s tenacity earned a corner, from which Roberts rose majestically to head in at the back post.
Three minutes later, Boden played in Peniket, who remained composed and fired low across Butcher.
Within six minutes of the restart, Neil Aspin’s two substitutes had helped win the game; within 20 minutes were the first faint cries of ‘The Town Are Going Up’.
Welling were the width of a post away from an own goal after Paul Marshall’s whipped free-kick as the away side offered minimal resistance to the inevitable.
The only other box to be ticked on Aspin’s list was probably a first goal for Boden, whose work-rate had certainly earned it.
Instead, Peniket popped up again to tap-in after Williams noddedMarshall’s corner back across goal. Halifax: Glennon, Bolton, M Roberts, Williams, McManus, Smith ( Peniket 46), Maynard, Pearson, Marshall, Schofield (Jackson 46), Boden. Subs not used: Senior, Ainge, K Roberts. Scorer: Roberts (48), Peniket (51, 77) Shots on target: 8 Shots off target: 13 Corners: 9 Welling: Butcher, Fazakerley (Young 86), Bush, Fagan, Fyfield, Healy (Gorman 10), Beautyman, Gallagher, Williams, Marsh, Obafemi. Subs not used: Turner, Day, Corne. Shots on target: 1 Shots off target: 2 Corners: 0 Attendance: 1,337 Town man of the match: Paul Marshall