Point gained at
COUNTY held on to claim what could be an important point at promotion chasing rivals Halifax with a 0-0 draw on Saturday, to remain just two points off a play-off berth in the National League North.
Following the entertaining 3-3 draw with high-flying Darlington last week at Edgeley Park, in which County saw their lead disappear on three occasions, The Hatters may reflect on a point gained against the West Yorkshire side.
County boss Jim Gannon did stick with the 4-3-1-2 formation from the Darlington draw, with one change coming in the form of the third goalscorer from that tie Jimmy Ball replacing John Marsden in the No 10 role.
Backed by a vocal following of 1,000 travelling supporters, The Hatters started brightly with star man Danny Lloyd – who the club remain confident will not be leaving Edgeley Park this season after reported interest from Tranmere Rovers – playing off big target man Kay Odejayi and looking to cause the Shaymen defence problems.
Energetic new boy Elliot Osborne found space to drive into the penalty area early on, only for his fizzed strike from the byline to flash across the face of goal and away from danger.
Ball overruled top goalscorer Lloyd to stand over a free-kick just outside the penalty area shortly after, but Ball curled his effort over the wall and comfortably wide of Sam Johnson’s goal from a dangerous position.
Halifax have been in fine goalscoring form themselves, having found the net ten times in their past two outings, and Billy Heath’s front four of Adam Morgan, Matty Kosylo, Daniel Nti and Richard Peniket seemed the biggest threat to The Hatters.
Morgan, the former Liverpool youngster who has been enjoying a rich vein of form since his move from Curzon Ashton, soon came much closer with a free-kick from all of 30 yards – stepping up to smash a powerful effort against the underside of Ben Hinchliffe’s crossbar and away.
Kosylo, once on the books at Edgeley Park as a youth team winger, didn’t come to life until an impressive second half – although County were within a whisker of taking the lead by that point through the lively Lloyd.
A set-piece seemed to be the best chance of a goal in the scrappy affair, and Lloyd swung a looping free-kick in from the wide left which deflected off the Halifax wall and crawled agonisingly wide of the upright.
Lloyd again threatened from a dead ball after the interval, looking to continue his feat of scoring directly from a corner in the Darlington stalemate as he whipped in the cross which Johnson spilled before desperately clinging onto at the same attempt.
In truth, that was The Hatters’ best sight of goal just four minutes into the second half, as the hosts began to dominate and look the most likely to grab the opener.
Big striker Tom Denton entered the fray on the hour mark, and with County surely wary of yet another goal against The Hatters for the former North Ferriby forward, the diminutive Sam Minihan went on to produce a brilliant defensive performance to keep the 6 ft 6 striker at bay.
As County sought the breakthrough via a rare set-piece in the final third, it was Denton’s attacking partner Kosylo who spurned a glorious opportunity to take the three points for The Shaymen.
Lloyd’s corner was almost deflected in by