Town stand firm at Torquay to progress in FA Trophy
EVEN AGAINST a 19-goal striker and a swirling wind, Halifax’s new found resilience stayed intact.
By the time Torquay did find the net, the damage had already been done with goals from Tobi Sho-Silva and Josh Staunton.
The Shaymen of a month agomay have buckled during a testing first-half, but crucially, they survived before taking their chances after the interval to set-up a home clash with either Maidenhead or Halesowen in round three of the FA Trophy.
The conditions, which were in Torquay’s favour in the firsthalf, and the patchy pitch, did play a big part in a scrappy, attritional contest, with several players losing their footing on the slippery surface.
Charlie Cooper went close for Town when a corner broke to him 25 yards out, but his shot was deflected just over.
That was against the run of play though, with Torquay captain Asa Hall bringing a decent save from Sam Johnson midway through the first-half with a curling shot before a flowing move of one-touch football culminated in Reid getting sight of goal near the penalty spot but rolling the ball just wide.
Moments later, centre-back Kyle Cameron’s free header from a corner was well saved by Johnson at full-stretch.
The Shaymen had been committed and determined defensively, but it was one-way traffic, not helped by the wind blowing towards Johnson’s goal.
Lemonheigh-Evans should have done better shortly after the restart but his tame shot was comfortably saved.
However, the game had changed with the wind, which was now at Town’s backs, helping the visitors to get a foothold in the contest. And with their first shot on target, Halifax took the lead when Jack Redshaw’s low effort from an angle was touched in by Sho-Silva on it’s way across the box.
The Shaymen were far less passive now, winning possession and enjoying possession higher up the pitch.
Nathan Clarke preserved their lead on the hour mark though when he cleared an effort off the line, seconds before Aaron Nemane’s low drive was deflected inches wide.
That proved crucial as, a few minutes later, Sho-Silva controlled a drilled cross and laid it off to Staunton, whose shot from 20 yards was deflected into the bottom corner with only Town’s second effort on target.
Pete Wild let out a huge roar of elation as Town threatened to move out of reach.
But Lemonheigh-Evans capped a fine individual run with a low shot past Johnson near the corner of the six-yard box to set-up a grandstand finish.
Torquay came close to forcing a replay when Reid’s header was tipped over and Ben Whitfield’s shot was drilled wide.
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