Town pay the penalty in five-goal thriller
FC Halifax Town were dramatically defeated on the final day of the season as 10-man Woking scored twice in injurytime to win 3-2. Scott McManus ended Town’s four-and-a-half hour wait for a goal before Woking equalised through Josh Payne, who was later sent-off.
Will Hatfield scored one penalty and missed another in the second-half, with the hosts banging on the door but unable to find a way past an inspired Matt Glennon.
But Scott Rendell’s penalty and substitute Yemi Odubade’s close- range finish completed an incredible turnaround in what was supposed to be a dull dead-rubber.
There was a nice symmetry to McManus’ opener, only his second league goal of the season, as his first came on the opening day at Dover.
He was left unmarked to head in from close-range after Graham Hutchison nodded Adam Smith’s corner across goal.
Woking soon restored parity though as the ball fell kindly to Payne inside the area after handball claims against Hutchison were ignored.
Town broke clear shortly afterwards only for Paul Marshall, who had already seen a free-kick shave the bar, to drag his low shot across goal.
Danny Schofield hit the inside of the post before Guiseppe Sole sent a vicious freekick and a side-foot shot both inches wide having already been denied by a fantastic Glennon save.
Given these two sides’ league positions, the last-day drama was supposed to be happening elsewhere.
Town started the secondhalf in a similar vein to the first through Hatfield’s penalty after Danny Hattersley was brought down by keeper Jake Cole, who mis-controlled a back pass.
Glennon then reacted well to tip Payne’s free-kick onto the post before Marc Roberts was forced off with an injury just before the hour mark; a sad way for him to bow out, with a move to the Football League a near-certainty.
Two chances within a minute nearly brought Woking level, but Joe McNerney’s header was cleared off the line before sub Manny Oyeleke was denied by, you guessed it, a Glennon save low to his left.
Oyeleke went close with a goal-bound shot deflected behind by Steve Williams and Glennon then produced his best save yet to tip John Goddard’s shot onto the post.
The action was unrelenting as Payne was sent-off for a trip on Hatfield as he charged into the box, but his second penalty was saved brilliantly by Cole, who redeemed himself after his part in the first.
Despite that red- card, Woking pressed on but still couldn’t find a way through, with Goddard hitting the bar from a free-kick.
But, ironically, Hatfield conceded the last penalty of the day after referee David Rock harshly adjudged him to have deliberately handballed a rasping free- kick hammered in his direction.
Rendell converted before the final twist saw Odubade tap-in a right-wing cross as defeat was snatched from the jaws of victory. Woking: Cole, Newton (Odubade 80), Ricketts, McNerney, Arthur, Murtagh (Oyeleke 66), Payne, Goddard, Betsy, Sole (Jones 85), Rendell. Subs not used: Saah, Crowe. Scorers: Payne (17), Rendell (90), Obudabe (90) Shots on target: 9 Shots off target: 5 Corners: 8 Halifax: Glennon, Hutchison, K Roberts, M Roberts (Williams 56), McManus, Smith (Jackson 46), Marshall, Hatfield, Schofield, Pearson, Hattersley. Subs not used: Senior, Bolton. Scorers: McManus (10), Hatfield (47) Shots on target: 3 Shots off target: 8 Corners: 4 Attendance: 2,175 Town man of the match: Matt Glennon