The first half was a dour affair with little discernible patterns of play from either side. Stalybridge had just the one chance as Sheriffe let a punted ball bounce allowing the forward to get behind him and fire a shot wide whilst Coulthard and Heppenstall both tested the keeper with free kicks from the edge of the box. The second half belonged almost exclusively to Halifax. A nice inter passing movement between 3 or 4 players created space at the edge of the Stalybridge box and Billington pulled the trigger with a vengeance only to see his shot hit the cross bar. Further nice passing 'on the carpet' between Douglas and Coulthard saw Billington press the keeper into a good save and then Billington was denied after good work out wide by Heppenstall after a dubious off side decision. Heppenstall then drove into the penalty area only to be upended from behind by a defender whilst rounding the keeper and the bench could hardly look after the prospect of a 4th penalty miss on the bounce loomed. Heppenstall hit a weak shot at a good height for the keeper and the score remained at 0-0. As the game progressed Austin Mitchell, son of former Halifax rugby star Gregg Mitchell, increasingly tormented the opposition right back and from one of his runs and crosses from the bye line Coulthard forced the keeper into a full stretch save and the ball was pushed into the path of Holt who appeared to have his striking leg taken away as he attempted to prod the ball into the unguarded net. Billington put a further chance wide after more good work out wide by Mitchell and Holt missed with shots created from both a long and short corner. In the 83rd minute the opposition centre half was allowed to carry the ball into the Halifax half and from the resulting overload situation the ball was worked into the box and tucked low into the corner. Stalybridge then had a chance in the last minute from a corner whilst the Halifax players presumably mulled on the prospect of the Management inquest that was surely shortly to follow!

Management Opinion. Another good performance with us winning hands down the battles of keeping possession and creating chances. The' Halifax Town Youth Team Penalty Curse' almost certainly cost us the 3 points. The learning lessons this week are 1.Don't switch off even when you are so much on top 2. Realise that 'clean sheets make championships' and that to achieve this aim you have to defend from the front. 3. When taking penalties try and kick the small round leathery thing between the long thin white things to hit the netting stuff and try and miss the usually tall moveable thing often adorned in a green shirt.

Team: Josh Proctor. Jess-Jo Sheriffe. Antonio Kennedy. Mathew Devlin. Fabian Evans. Lee Coulthard. Dene Heppenstall. Sam Holt. Jamie Douglas. Craig Billington. Austin Mitchell.

Subs: Robert Cook [for Heppenstall 84 mins}. Jameel Nawaaz. Gerard Jones. Gavin Jack [for Sam Holt 84 mins]. Andy Spratt.

HTAFC MoM: Mitchell.

Goal Chances: SBCW - 3

HTAFC - 11

		P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
1	FC United of Manchester	10	8	0	2	27	14	24
2	Burton Albion	10	6	2	2	25	12	20
3	Workington	8	4	3	1	23	13	15
4	MMU/Newcastle	9	4	1	4	26	20	13
5	Stalybridge Celtic Whites	10	3	2	5	18	26	11
6	Halifax Town	10	3	1	6	15	21	10
7	Stalybridge Celtic Blues	6	2	0	4	10	17	6
8	Garforth Town	11	1	3	7	14	35	6

By Nick Fletcher