FC Halifax Town produced a superb display to see off a determined Mickleover side and come away with a well deserved 3-2 win.

Neil Aspin made some big decisions before the match, handing a start to Phil Senior in goal for the first time since facing Mickleover in the Chairman's Cup at the end of last season and deploying a diamond in midfield, with Richard Marshall sitting behind the front-two of Danny Holland and Jamie Vardy.

That partnership reaped immediate benefits, with Holland shooting narrowly wide from a clever Tom Baker free-kick after two minutes before Vardy headed a corner into the path of Mark Bower, but the captain just failed to reach it.

Town had started very well with a goal seeming imminent, and it was as Simon Garner won the ball in midfield and it was worked through to Vardy, already constantly on the shoulder of the last defender. The striker kept his composure well to square it to Holland for a tap-in.

James Riley then had a shot deflected wide from Garner's free-kick, and then saw his header superbly saved by Ed Eley from another Garner cross a minute later.

It was one-way traffic in deepest Derbyshire, with Vardy next to go close with a 30-yard chip that landed just over the bar after being sent through.

That turned out to be a warning though, as two minutes later, midway through the first-half, Baker's excellent ball played in the fleet footed front man, who this time executed a perfectly weighted lob over the 'keeper to put the visitors into a fully deserved two goal lead.

The Shaymen had been playing so well, in fact, that Mickleover were forced into a tactical switch, with rangy striker Karl Ashton brought on in an attempt to turn the tide after half-an-hour.

And it worked, with Ashton's presence unsettling the Town defence and Alex Steadman nipping behind the back-line and deftly chipping the stranded Senior.

Minutes later, Ashton worked well down the left, crossing for Keiran O'Connell, but the striker fluffed a golden opportunity to level the scores just six yards from goal just before the interval.

Vardy's pace continued to be a threat at the other end, and the forward aws guilty of spurning a couple of good opportunities when behind the home side's defence when he passed instead of shooting and the ball was cleared.

Bower still had time to hit the top of the post with a close-range header before half-time as the first 45 minutes came to a close after a flurry of activity that seemed to go on throughout the entire half.

Town had been put under some decent pressure after a fantastic first 30 minutes, but started the second-half as if Mickleover hadn't had a kick, dampening any semblance of an equaliser for the hosts as the Sports were pinned into their own half.

Vardy had drifted out of the game for all of ten seconds around the hour mark, practically an eternity for him during the afternoon, but was hurled back into the action when he latched onto a through ball before calmly despatching the ball under Eley to give Town some richly deserved breathing space.

Soon afterwards, Vardy was taken off, perhaps feeling his lingering injury a little, and replaced by James Dean, his afternoon's work earning him a rapturous round of applause from the visiting supporters.

However, not surprisingly on an action packed afternoon, the drama wasn't finished there. Alex Steadman confidently fired in a penalty to reduce their deficit and make it a nervy last ten minutes.

Town were naturally inclined to try to protect what they had, and minus one or two heartstopping moments, they did, to chalk up a thoroughly merited three points on a thoroughly entertaining afternoon.

Mickleover Sports: Eley, Roome, Carter, Walshe ©, Barrow, Strzyzewski, Graves, Smythe (Ashton29), Steadman, O'Connell, Guy (Bailey 72). Subs not used: Martin, Hoyle, Hind

Goalscorers: Steadman (34 & 79)

Shots on target: 4, Shots off target: 2, Corners: 7

FC Halifax Town: Senior, Plummer, Bower ©, Baker, Riley (Phelan 60), Hogan, Marshall (Gray 80), Winter, Holland, Vardy (Dean 75), Garner. Subs not used: Hedge, Metcalfe,

Goalscorers: Holland (9), Vardy (24), Vardy (68)

Shots on target: 10, Shots off target: 7, Corners: 7

Tom Scargill