Oxford City FC 0-2 FC Halifax Town ( att : 1,312 ) – 2023/24 National League

March 17, 2024

TNT Sports cameras arrived at Court Place Farm for the second time this season, with the game being moved to a Sunday lunch-time kick-off to accommodate the TV scheduling.

Since these diaries covered Oxford City’s 1-2 home loss to Aldershot, they obtained a credible 2-2 draw at Rochdale but went down 0-2 at champions-elect Chesterfield in midweek, although things might have been very different had the Chesterfield keeper been shown a very obvious red card in the first half for bringing down Harvey Greenslade but incredibly didn’t even get shown a yellow card. To make matters worse, Josh Parker missed the penalty

They remained bottom of the table, 14 points from safety with just 7 games remaining and looking certainties to be relegated.

 

Halifax Background

FC Halifax Town were formed in 2008 after Halifax Town AFC folded, and were placed in the Northern Premier League Division One North, the 8^th tier of the English pyramid. They took over the 14,081 capacity Shay Stadium as their home ground and continued to be known as the Shaymen.

Halifax worked their way through the leagues, with Jamie Vardy and Lee Gregory being amongst their leading marksmen in the process, achieving promotion to the Conference with play-off victories over Guiseley and Brackley in 2012/13.

The Shaymen played 3 seasons in the Conference/National League, reaching the play-offs in their first season but were relegated at the end of 2015/16. They only spent one season back in National League North though, bouncing back via the play-off beating Salford and Chorley, and they have remained in the National League ever since. Halifax finished 4^th in 2021/22 ( losing to Chesterfield in the play-off quarter-final ) and 10^th in 2022/23.

The have won the FA Trophy on two occasions, beating Grimsby 1-0 in 2015/16, in the season they were relegated, and last season they beat Gateshead 1-0. Both matches were played at Wembley.

Halifax Town AFC were members of the Football League between 1921 to 1993 and between 1998 and 2002. They played in the Conference between 1993 to 1998, winning the 1997/98 Conference title, and from 2002 to 2008 until their bankruptcy, reportedly owing over £2M, of which £800K was to HMRC.

The best season for Halifax Town AFC was probably their third place finish in Division Three in 1970/71.

Halifax This Season

Halifax started the day in 9^th, two points being Altrincham in the final play-off position but having played a game less. Their challenge for a place in the play-off was probably the reason for the TNT cameras being present today.

They possessed an overall 15-11-11 record but with only a goal difference of plus 2. Halifax had the 6^th best away record in the division, standing at 8-4-7 and went into today’s game in good form, having won 5 of their last 6 to fuel their push for the play-offs

Their last match ended in a 2-1 home win over Boreham Wood but prior to that they lost 0-2 at Bromley.

Halifax had not enjoyed any success in cups this season. Their defence of the FA Trophy ended at the first hurdle, losing a penalty shoot-out at home to Altrincham after a 0-0 draw, and they exited the FA Cup with a shock 0-1 home defeat to Marine of the Northern Premier League.

Average attendances at The Shay have been this season were 1,862, the 15^th best in the division

The captain of Halifax is ex-Port Vale keeper Sam Johnston, who first played for the Shaymen in 2015 and has clocked up over 300 appearances.

Ex-Dundee United, Arbroath and Tranmere Kosovan Under 19 international midfielder Florent Hoti was the top scorer on 5, with ex-Hartlepool forward Robert Harker on 4

Centre-back Adam Senior joined from Bolton Wanderers and winger Max Wright was previously with Harrogate. Defender Jamie Stott has previously played for Oldham Athletic and Stockport County amongst others and midfielder Luke Summerfield has played for Plymouth Argyle, Shrewsbury, Cheltenham and York City amongst others

Previous Meeting

When two sides met back in August, Oxford City claimed their first ever point in the National League in their fourth game with a 1-1 draw. Pierre Fonkeu’s 54^th minute equaliser cancelled out Harker’s first half opener.

There were also two meetings in National League North in 2012/13, when the game in Oxford was a 2-2 draw, but Halifax won their home match 3-1.

Matchday Information

The journey from Halifax to Oxford is approximately 190 miles, and should normally take around 3 and a half hours. Around 200 or so fans made the journey from Yorkshire for an unsegregated match.

Bet365.com made Halifax 8/11 odds on favourites, with Oxford City at 3/1 and the draw at 14/5.

After some rain earlier in the morning, the weather at the 12.15 kick-off time was 14 degrees and the skies were grey. Perhaps accordingly Halifax were in a change kit of all grey with light grey sleeves, whilst Oxford City were in their usual blue and white hoops with blue shorts.

Halifax were unchanged from their side that beat Boreham Wood last Saturday whilst Oxford City made two changes from the side that lost in mid-week at Chesterfield. Keeper Marcin Brzozowski was in for Tom Watson, whose loan from Wigan had ended, and Tafari Moore replaced Birtwistle at right-back.

Match Report

The match started quietly, with little of note happening until the 4^th minute when Parker’s 30 yard effort when harmlessly wide. There was a hint of more danger from The Hoops a minute later but Parker’s cross from the right was just a fraction too high for the unmarked Greenslade close to the penalty spot.

The first foray from Halifax into the Oxford City half saw a free-kick sent towards the far post where Stott managed to get a header in, but Burley was able to control and clear.

Parker then lost possession to Wright just inside the Halifax half but when Halifax broke, Harker and Hoti got in each other’s way, and Burley was able to put the ball out for a throw-in.

In the 11^th minute, Moore played in Ashby down the right but his low cross was put out of play at the near post by Senior to give Oxford City the first corner of the match. Parker’s header from the set-piece looped gently high in the air and Johnson made an easy catch.

The visitors responded with left-back Jack Evans sending a 25 yard attempt a few feet over the bar after which, a nice passing move from The Hoops saw Kirby’s attempted through ball go just too long for Parker and keeper Johnson was able to come off his line and gather.

The best chance of the match so far came to Halifax in the 16^th minute. Oluwabori and Harker combined to find Hoti who skipped past O’Connell to go clear on goal, but the Albanian midfielder’s low shot was pushed away one-handed by Brzozowski for a corner. Parker was back helping out his defence with a good defensive header ahead of Stott, enabling Moore to clear the danger, and when The Shaymen forced another corner shortly after, Parker was fouled by Stott as he attempted to head away.

Play became a little scrappy as both sides gave away throw-ins with overly optimistic cross-field passes badly executed, and then Oxford City left-back O’Connell’s poor cross sailed several feet over and wide the bar from a promising position.

Another neat passing move from the home side featuring Moore, Humphrey-Ewers and Ashby ended with a free-kick as Moore was up-ended by Evans and prevented from getting onto a return pass from Ashby. The free-kick was tapped by Ashby to Coyle, who low left-footed shot from the edge of the area was held by the diving Johnson at his left-hand post.

After an encouraging opening twenty minutes, City shot themselves in the foot by gifting the opening goal to Halifax. O’Connell attempted to shepherd the ball out of play but Wright managed to get a foot to it to keep the ball in play. Moore could have cleared but left it for Brzozowski to gather, but the keeper couldn’t keep hold of the ball as Harkin challenged, and it fell to the Halifax striker to turn and fire past two defenders on the line from the angle of the 6 yards box. A defensive calamity and it was 0-1 after 21 minutes.

It got worse for the home side less than a minute later. After O’Connell’s poor header from Johnson’s long kick down field, the home defence all stood off Oluwabori as the ex-Peterborough winger advanced, enabling him to rifle the ball across goal into the far corner from just inside the area. Perhaps the keeper could have done better too, but collectively the entire defence was at fault, and again provided clear evidence as to why Oxford City were bottom of the table. 0-2 after 22 minutes.

Oxford City were falling apart and a minute later they seemed to be scared to make a tackle on Oluwabori but eventually the Shayman was crowded out. Oluwabori’s spell on the home defenders continued as his cross from the left was missed by Phillips, but Brzozowski was able to react and make a diving save as the ball was bouncing into the far corner.

The Hoops finally regained some composure and after a good move involving Ashby, Moore, Greenslade and Parker, Greenslade and Humphrey-Ewers both had shots blocked, but as Halifax counter-attacked they should have added a third when Oluwabori threaded a perfect pass for Wright to go clear but his shot was bravely blocked by the home keeper. A right-wing cross from Wright fizzed across the 6 yard line but just too high for Harker.

With 33 minutes on the clock, Oxford City appealed for a foul on Coyle and then a handball after a scramble just inside the area, but the referee saw nothing untoward and allowed play to continue.

City then won a free-kick on the edge of the Halifax area after Greenslade ran at Wright and was brought down. However, Ashby’s free-kick was blocked by the wall.

Moore then did well to get to the by-line and his cross reached Greenslade, who controlled and laid back to Ashby, but the shot on the run was weak and easily saved by Johnson.

The Hoops defensive uncertainties returned again as Burley and Phillips allowed a long ball to bounce, and Brzozowski had come out his area to control on chest before being fouled. Greenslade was then brought down by Evans near the corner flag, but again the free-kick came to nothing as Senior headed away. City reworked possession to Humphrey-Ewers, who ran past two would be tacklers, but after reaching the edge of the area shot a few feet over the bar.

Oluwabori then went on a weaving run from inside his own half but the danger ended when he stepped on the ball. More neat passing from the home side saw Moore pop up on the left-hand by-line and his pass enabled Parker to tee up Greenslade, but the shot was partly blocked by Evans and Johnson was able to make a regulation diving save.

Halifax quick got down the other end but Harker’s glancing header from a cross from the left from Evans initially looked close, but was actually closer to the corner flag than the goal !

At half-time, Halifax deserved led by two goals, but it could easily have been more as Oxford City’s defensive weaknesses were frequently being exposed. During the break the sun came out and patches of blue sky made an appearance !

The second half started in a similar vein to much of the first half as Summerfield burst through some powder-puff defending to win a corner, from which Brzozowski produced a Superman dive as the ball went across goal and off for a throw-in.

After a good run by Wright, Hoti then had a goal-bound effort blocked by Burley and the Hoops keeper did well to stop the ball going off for a corner. Thomas-Sommers then robbed Kirby and ran from inside his own half to feed Wright, but O’Connell was back to block the cross.

In the 53^rd minute, Humphrey-Ewers made a strong run down the right to win a corner for Oxford City, which was played short to Moore, but easily cleared by Stott.

Parker was then fouled by Senior and after the free-kick was taken quickly, Ashby’s shot was blocked by Summerfield. Shortly after, Johnson’s clearance only went as far as Kirby, who on the stretch tried to play to Parker, but Johnson was able to recover and claim the ball.

The first substitution of the game was made in the 55^th minute, as Halifax brought on left-back Ryan Galvin for Max Wright, resulting in Jack Evans moving into midfield.

The next good chance came in the 60^th minute when Galvin made a strong run and released Harker, whose drive was spectacularly pushed away by Brzozowski and although Oluwabori controlled and juggled, the referee blew his whistle, and after a period of confusion, gave a drop-ball to Oxford City. I have no idea why !

Oluwabori then tried his luck from 25 yards but Kirby made a brave block to concede a corner. Unfortunately, Kirby was injured in the process, and had to leave the field with what appeared to be an injured ankle, to be replaced by Reece Fleet.

Fleet’s first involvement was a splendid through ball behind the left-back but unfortunately for the home side, Moore hadn’t anticipated it and the ball rolled off for a goal-kick.

Halifax then decided to take off Oluwabori, who had looked their best player so far, and brought on Cosgrave, whose first contribution was a ridiculous dive in an attempt to win a penalty.

Kane Thomas-Sommers then made a good run and after a 1:2 with Hoti, his left-footed shot was blocked by Burley on the slide for a corner. The set-piece bounced across the 6 yard line, hit Stott and bounced to the Oxford City keeper. A Summerfield free-kick then bounced across the area but off for a goal-kick.

The home side had a rare sniff of goal in the 75^th minute as Greenslade’s ball down the right-hand touch-line gave Parker to the opportunity to have a run, and although he got past Senior, Stott was covering to take the ball of the Antiguan. Halifax went down the other end with Evans finding a pass to put Harker in space inside the left-hand side of the penalty area, but the side-footed shot was comfortably held by The Hoops keeper. A minute later an almost identical move but with Hoti playing the through ball put Harker clear, but this time Brzozowski made a good save at his near post.

With 12 minutes remaining, Senior’s diving header from a corner went just wide.

The game was fizzling out as it drifted to its inevitable conclusion but in the 87^th minute Cosgrave put Golden clear, but the shot struck the outstretched leg of Brzozowski. You could say it was a golden opportunity….

Shortly after, a flowing move from the visitors saw Thomas-Sommers denied from 10 yards by a great save from The Hoops shot-stopper after Stott, Cosgrave and Galvin had linked down the left.

Halifax were finishing strongly and O’Connell had to hack clear after they had cut through on the right, and in added on time Jenkins and Hoti combined to give Hoti sight of goal, but the effort was straight at Brzozowski.

Despite the three points from today, Halifax stayed in 9^th place, but there were now only 9 points separated 2^nd from 9^th.

Oxford City are doomed, and this match was their season in a microcosm. Plenty of possession, passed the ball well, created a few half chances, but gifted two goals to the opposition, and could have lost by more.

Oxford City : Brzozowski – Moore ( Lumeka ), Burley ( Roddy ), Phillips, O’Connell – Ashby, Kirby ( Fleet ), Humphrey-Ewers, Coyle – Parker, Greenslade

FC Halifax Town : Johnson – Golden ( Jenkins ), Senior, Stott, Evans – Oluwabori ( Cosgrave ), Summerfield, Thomas-Sommers, Hoti, Wright ( Galvin ) - Harker