Numbers up for Hatters at The Shay
THE official figure of away supporters at The Shay on Saturday was 950, the total attendance was given as 2’924.
I can honestly say there was nowhere near 2,000 Halifax fans in that ground – either there was some financial shenanigans going on or they were just too embarrassed to admit that the travelling faithful outnumbered the Yorkists.
Sitting, or rather standing, amongst that mass of humanity certainly added to the feeling that this would be County’s afternoon.
Halifax would be a threat, they’re in form but so are we and their game plan became obvious, kick Lloyd, forearm Odejayi, stop anyone in a County shirt by fair means or foul, how they didn’t get a man sent off is beyond me!
The first half belonged to us, without ever really threatening the home goal; the traffic was all one way.
I ended the half with a crick in my neck trying to get a decent view of the far goal through all the stantions and girders but that’s Halifax for you, it’s stuck in the 1970’s, if you want proof have a look in the gent’s loos. The referee had several opportunities to stamp his authority on the game but instead chose the easy option and do nothing, Big K received an elbow/ forearm to the face, it should have been a straight red but nothing was given, not even a free kick.
They had a shot against the bar and tried to apply some pressure but we soaked it up, regrouped and ended the half as we started it, on the front foot.
In the second, the ref again bottled it when Kaine Felix burst through the home defence only to have a defender haul him to the ground by his shirts neck. A case of “last man”, I thought so but not the man in black!
Then the moment everyone knew would arrive, arrived, Tom Denton entered the fray and their game plan changed to “kick it to the big man.”
He’s an effective tool we’ve seen so often but happily this time he couldn’t connect with any of his teammates and the game drew to its end, one of the most entertaining 0-0 games you’ll ever see without either keeper really being tested.
The highlight, as it so often is, was the amount of County’s very vocal support. Yorkshire and the rest of the football world, take note, there’s something stirring in Stockport.