Telford 1 Halifax 2 - Report

Micah Evans gave the Bucks a 13th-minute lead in a half, but they were quickly pegged back by a superb strike from former Telford striker Richard Peniket just six minutes later.

Evans also headed against the bar in a half where they looked the better side.

Then in a second period when they were second best, Halifax went ahead through Nathan Hotte on 59.

The Shaymen continued to look the better team and Tom Denton hit the bar on 64 while Peniket headed straight at James Montgomery from point-blank range as Telford's threat fizzled out.

Boss Rob Smith made three changes to the side that drew 1-1 at Nuneaton on Bank Holiday Monday.

Lucas Dawson, Callum Gittings and Evans replaced Jack Rea, Danny Reynolds and Dave Hibbert.

Rea's absence from the squad was a mystery but Reynolds was on the bench and Hibbert was out with the knee injury sustained at Nuneaton on Monday.

Halifax, who wore their fluorescent orange change kit, kicked off and created the first chance when James Montgomery made a superb save to his left to deny a header from 6ft 7ins Tom Denton's following a corner.

But it was Telford who took an early lead when Evans got a vital touch at the near post to divert Callum Gittings's left-wing cross past keeper Steven Drench.

And it was a lead the Bucks might well have added to in a first half during which they looked the livelier, more dangerous side.

Evans, who looked lively coming off the bench at Nuneaton, looked to add to his tally and produced a bouncing snapshot that saw Drench fumble and grab at the second attempt.

But Telford's lead didn't last long as Halifax levelled within six minutes, if against the run of play.

Deserved or not, it was a delightful strike as Peniket looked up and unleashed a superb curling shot that ripped into the top corner from 25 yards against his old club that gave James Montgomery no chance.

The equaliser spurred Halifax and from a corner, Danny Hone's shot was blocked by Montgomery on the line before Denton hooked over from the loose ball.

The game became scrappy and a bit niggly towards the half-hour mark whuch led to several bookings.

Halifax's Scott Garner was the first on 27 minutes after cynically going through the back of Josh Wilson.

Telford almost regained the lead a minute later when Evans's glancing header hit the bar with Drench at full stretch and Samuels's volley was blocked following Lucas Dawson's inswinging free kick.

Halifax midfielder Liam King was next to be booked for a late tackle on Sean Williams as he came away with the ball in the 31st minute.

Three minutes later James Hurst was cautioned for what appeared to be a 50-50 challenge with Cliff Moyo in the centre circle.

Action returned and on 39 Dawson slashed high and wide after a short corner eventually found Wilson for a cross well kept in by Hurst.

If Telford bossed the first half, it was a different story after the break as the Shaymen came into the game much more.

The first opening of the half saw Kevin Roberts lash a rising left-foot half volley a few inches over the bar from the edge of the D on 51.

Then the visitors took the lead when poor defending from Telford allowed Hotte to squeeze a shot into the far corner from close range when Roberts got to the byeline and crossed.

Telford tried to hit back and Evans was denied by Scott Garner's vital sliding challenge after Hurst's volley from Ben Bailey's pass briefly left him in the clear on 62.

There were changes to both teams a minute later as former Telford loanee Jake Hibbs replaced Liam King and Danny Reynolds came on for Evans.

There was a scare for Telford on 64 as dangerman Denton got ahead of Ben Bailey to head against the post from Josh MacDonald's cross.

Telford returned fire and on 66, Reynolds was first to Samuels's low cross, but scuffed at the ball, which rolled across goal.

Halifax had a great chance to extend their lead on 68 but Peniket headed straight at Montgomery from point-blank range from Hibbs's cross.

Man of the match Samuels produced successive dangerous crosses to win corners with the first diverted behind by Josh MacDonald and Williams's kick was caught by Drench, and the second, a deeper one, saw a defender get between Gittings and Wilson to head away.

Telford threw on Tom Peers for Hurst on 73 to inject an added threat up front but little changed for the Bucks.

Instead it was Halifax who continued to look the more likely scorers and MacDonald showed a clean pair of heels to Campion, scampering away from him to produce an angled rising drive palmed upwards by Montgomery.

On 81, Reynolds became the latest player to be booked, retrospectively for an earlier foul before Telford made their final substitution a minute later when Zak Lilly came on for Lucas Dawson.

Reynolds had the right idea but curled well over first time after Peers' busy run was halted.

Telford's final chance before five minutes of time added on came on 87 when the ball was worked out to Gittings in a central area, but from 20 yards in a central area, he could only drag the ball a couple of yards wide.

There was plenty of anger and frustration two minutes from the end of normal time as Moyo escaped punishment for catching Gittings late - leaving him floored for several minutes - and Wilson and Bailey were booked for dissent when Bailey fouled, with the crowd furious.

They were even more frustrated at the final whistle as Telford's failure to penetrate again cost them all three points.

AFC Telford (4-3-3): Montgomery; Samuels, Havern, Bailey, Campion; Dawson (Lilly, 82), Gittings, Williams; Hurst (Peers 73), Wilson, Evans (Reynolds 63).

Subs not used: Edge, Osei.

FC Halifax (4-4-2): Drench, Moyo, Garner, Hone, Wilde; MacDonald, King (Hibbs 63), Hotte, Roberts; Denton, Peniket (Hughes 82).

Subs not used: O'Brien, Sinnott, Burrow.

Referee: Richard Wild (Manchester).

Attendance: 1,324.