13th May 1989 Town 2 Hereford 2
Secure in the knowledge that they were safe, Town turned their minds to stopping their run of matches without a win reaching 10 games. But the lack of any real targets for either side made for an unusual contest which lurched from spells of frenzied goalmouth activity to lulls where hardly anyone on the field seemed too interested in the outcome.
The man who did make the final game count was Town striker Terry McPhillips whose two goals lifted him to 25 for the season. At the other end United's sharpshooter Phil Stant helped himself to his 33rd goal of the season and a Jon Narbett strike after 57 minutes forced the draw. For Town, watched by their lowest crowd of the season, teenager Paul Donnelly made his first appearance as a substitute, while Hereford became only the second club ever to name a goalkeeper, Tony Elliott, as a substitute.
Team: Whitehead, Hedworth, Harrison, Horner, N Richardson, Bramhall, Barr, Watson, McPhillips, Allison, Broadbent, subs Matthews, Donnelly
Peter Barrow
14th May 1977 Town 1 Southport 1
A sequence of poor results meant the re-election issue loomed ever larger. Town went into the last game with their fate still in their own hands, knowing that victory over Southport - who were already condemned along with Hartlepool and Workington - would ensure their safety.
But Town could only manage a 1-1 draw. Brookes scored against the run of play but Chris Dunleavy equalised for Town five minutes before half-time. Two minutes after the break Town had the perfect chance to go ahead. Joe Carroll went down in the box, but Bobby Flavell smashed his penalty against the bar.
Three days later Flavell was left to rue his penalty miss that could have rendered Newport's one outstanding game meaningless. Newport defeated bottom side Workington three days later to leap-frog over Town, thus condemning them to re-election, just one year after dropping out of Division Three.
Team: Leonard, Dunleavy, Loska, Flavell, Phelan, Bradley, Carroll, Bell, Bullock, Johnston, Trainer
Johnny Meynell
14th May 1979 Town 2 Hartlepool 4
Having defeated Hereford in their last match, George Kirby's Halifax moved off the bottom of the table where they had been rooted since October. But this was their penultimate match, condemned to re-election four games ago. Hartlepool's late surge had pulled them clear of danger, but they were still happy to see Halifax in charitable mood, no more so than 18-year-old Mark Lawrence.
He scored his first when Alan Harding's shot rebounded into his path, while his second was a comical affair. Town's on-loan 'keeper John Kilner raced out to head the ball clear but completely missed it, leaving Lawrence to score with an angled shot.
Franny Firth reduced the arrears following Lee Bradley's knockdown, but after the break Billy Horner's side restored their two-goal advantage when Lawrence turned in John Linacre's fizzing low cross from the right at the far post.
Firth had to go off temporarily for treatment after clashing with John Watson, but was back when Lawrence made it 4-1, hooking the ball in following Martin Gorry's free-kick. In injury time, Linacre handled in the box, and Town's star player Kevin Johnson netted the penalty.
Team: Kilner, Dunleavy, Hutt, Bradley, Burke, Trainer, Firth, Kennedy, Mountford, Johnson, Stafford, sub Smith
Johnny Meynell
Also this week:
13th May 1983 Dave Staniforth celebrates being voted Town's "Player of the Season" by scoring his 16th goal of the campaign to ensure Town end the season with a win, 1-0 against Stockport County at the Shay. He times his run to slam the ball home following Mick Wood's free-kick. Tommy Sword comes closest to equalising with a header onto the bar.
13th May 1969 The promotion-winning squad enjoyed a civic reception with Ald Harry Ludlum
16th May 1967 A 3-1 victory over Wrexham at The Shay brought the season to a close with Phil McCarthy (2) and Graham Wooler being the marksmen and this left The Shaymen in a creditable 12th position. Three players: Barry Hutchinson (19), Bill Atkins (12) and John Parks (16) ended with double figure goals while Malcolm Russell, ever-present with 46 led the appearances followed by Jim Smith and Malcolm White with 45 apiece. Lincoln City were the unfortunates to finish in bottom place while Stockport County, at the opposite end, took the championship.
16th May 1972 After only one win from their last nine games led to a final position of 17th, just two points clear of relegation, manager Ray Henderson was sacked
17th May 1984 A 4-1 win in their final game against Colchester saw Halifax move out of the bottom four. But the season had yet to run its course. Wrexham, who had three games left, could still overhaul the Shaymen if they mustered seven points from them. Even before the club's immediate future was decided, supporters knew they would have to do without several key players. On 17 May, the retained list showed seven major omissions. Incredibly, Lee Smelt, David Evans, Tony Smith, Mick Wood, Martin Nuttall, Stewart Mell and player-coach David Staniforth were all given free transfers, with John Crowther admitting that the severe financial situation had forced the club's hand.
18th May 1967 After defeating Leeds United in the semi-final, Town rounded off their season by winning the West Riding Senior Cup, beating Bradford City 3-0 in the final at the Shay.
18th May 1979 Halifax are not the worst team in the League. Crewe's eighth consecutive defeat - by Rochdale gives them that distinction. The Iron don't have to work too hard for their 3-2 victory. Lee Bradley, who is being released by Town, signs off with both their goals. A mini demonstration follows the game.
14th May 1984 Mark Peers was born
