SUPER SAM SPOT ON FOR SHAYMEN IN SHOOT-OUT
FC Halifax won 5-4 on pens
FC HALIFAX Town kept their nerve in a tense penalty shootout to book their place in the last eight of the FA Trophy at the expense of league rivals Maidenhead United.
Shaymen stopper Sam Johnson was the hero as he saved Shawn McCoulsky’s spot-kick before substiute Jordan Slew rifled home the winning kick.
It was perhaps a fitting end to a disappointing tie of long balls, robust challenges and wayward shots.
As summed up by Magpies manager Alan Devonshire: “It was a poor game,” he admitted. “The two sides cancelled each other out. There was the odd chance here and there. We lost on penalties, and that’s always a lottery. We move on.”
Tyler Golden registered the Shaymen’s first strike at York Road in the fourth minute, an effort way off target. McCoulsky was the first to let fly for the Magpies, but his attempt suffered a similar fate.
Chances were certainly at a premium past these opportunities in the opening stages with both sides significantly lacking the cutting edge in attack.
Remy Clerima should have perhaps done better for Maidenhead in the 21st minute but his header at the back post, from Charlee Adams’ free-kick, was tame enough for Johnson to claim easily.
And Millenic Alli was unfortunate not to have opened the scoring for the visitors just after the half hour with his shot whistling past the woodwork.
Devonshire made his one and only change at the break, bringing on Zico Asare for Adams after the midfielder picked up a head injury from a collision late in the first half.
But it was the Shaymen who started the second half minutes the brisker with Max Wright calling keeper Alexis Andre Jr into action with two goalbound strikes.
Devonshire’s men got their foot on the ball around the hour mark and Ashley Nathaniel-George saw a curling strike saved by Johnson before Sam Barratt skimmed the frame of the goal from distance.
Penalties looked extremely likely from the 75th minute onwards as both teams’ endeavours to break the deadlock got weaker.
Halifax’s Harvey Gilmour rolled the ball wide and Maidenhead’s Kane Ferdinand lashed the ball over before referee Sam Mulhall did everyone a favour by bringing an end to normal time.
Maidenhead, missing top goalscorer Emile Acquah and stopper Dan Gyollai, netted their first three penalties, courtesy of De Havilland, Barratt and Ferdinand, cancelled out by Manny Dieseruvwe, Rob Harker and Jamie Stott.
Ashley Nathaniel-George and Alli traded successful kicks before Johnson kept out McCoulsky’s spotkick, leaving Slew – who came off the bench in the second minute of added time – to win it.