It's a tie against Retford United at home which is the prize for FC Halifax Town in the next round of the Presidents Cup after the Shaymen defeated Sheffield F.C. by three goals to one after extra time tonight. Goals from Junior Brown, Danny Ellis and Ashley Stott secured the win after an opener from visiting striker Matthew Roney.

Manager Jim Vince made significant changes to the team that defeated Woodley Sports in the league on Saturday, amongst the changes was to see the Halifax debut of former Witton Albion midfielder Kurtis Gill.

The first action of the game was to bring Town keeper Craig Ellison into action, as he tipped a stinging drive from the visitors Matthew Roney over the bar as early as the third minute. The players had to adapt to the wet conditions which were certainly not conducive to the fluent passing style of the home side.

Danny Ellis was proving to be quite a threat to the visitors with some great attacking play down the flank and the first opportunity for the Shaymen after some neat work from Ellis down the right but Kris King, who found himself unmarked in the box but unfortunately his control let him down and the ball ran to safety.

The rain continued to fall and both sides were struggling to break the deadlock, but it was the Shaymen who continued to have the better of the game, with Cavell Coo and Ellis again threatening but to no avail.

After a collision between Sheffield goalkeeper Marc Furness and Kris King many thought the referee would stop the game but he allowed play to continue but again the goal proved elusive as Jon Smith put his effort wide of the mark.

It took until the fifth minute of the second half for the opening goal of the game as Matthew Roney played a looping ball into the box from the left which eluded Ellison and nestled into the net to put the visitors in front.

Halifax pressed for the equalizer but were denied by a great stop by Sheffield keeper Furness, who saved low from Town substitute Paul Gedman from Ellis'corner.

Tom Baker was next to be denied by Furness as he tried his luck from distance, the shot was parried by the keeper but Ashley Stott fired the rebound wide.

The turning point of the game was when Jim Vince replaced King with Junior Brown with around 25 minutes remaining and it was to be the in form midfielder who was to equalize for the Shaymen in the final ten minutes of normal time.

A neat move between Baker and Brown saw the latter fire home from inside the box to take the game into extra time.

Penalties were looming as the first half of extra time went by with the rain worsening and it was again the late show by Halifax that was to see them through to the next round.

Ellis volleyed home Stott's cross with just seven minutes of the extra period remaining, before Stott got a goal of his own.

The striker took advantage of a quick free kick to round the Sheffield keeper and roll the ball home to secure the win.

A hard fought game in horrendously wet conditions but once again it's the Shaymen that take the spoils.

Town : Ellison, Coo, King (Brown), Adams, Barras, Hinsley, Gill (Phelan), Baker, Stott, Smith (Gedman), Ellis

Terry Hibberd