FC Halifax Town welcome Boston United to The Shay on Tuesday night, with just two points separating the sides after ten National League matches. Halifax begin the evening 14th with 13 points, while Boston sit 18th on 11, with both teams looking to respond after defeats at the weekend.
Halifax have experienced mixed results in recent weeks after putting together consecutive victories earlier this month. Their last five National League matches have produced two wins, one draw and two defeats, with the Shaymen taking just one point from their last two fixtures.
A convincing 3-0 home victory over Hornchurch was followed by a 1-0 win away at Wealdstone, giving Halifax successive victories and clean sheets. They then appeared on course for a third straight win when they took a stoppage-time lead against Sutton United, only for David Ogbonna to equalise almost immediately and secure a 1-1 draw at The Shay.
Halifax travelled to Worthing on Saturday and suffered a 2-1 defeat. Joe Cook gave the hosts an early lead before Will Hugill equalised for the Shaymen, but Jordan Young restored Worthing’s advantage before half-time. Halifax’s task became more difficult when Dylan Crowe received a second yellow card in the 77th minute, and the hosts held on for all three points.
Despite taking only one point from their last two matches, Halifax have scored in each of their last four National League fixtures. Their overall record stands at 15 goals scored and 13 conceded, with their recent improvement defensively helping to produce a positive goal difference after ten games.
Boston travel to West Yorkshire after a narrow 1-0 home defeat against AFC Fylde on Saturday. The sides went into half-time goalless before Danny Mayor scored for the visitors in the 51st minute. The Pilgrims searched for an equaliser but were reduced to ten men late on when Jake Rooney received a second yellow card.
That result prevented Boston from building on their impressive 3-1 victory away at Forest Green Rovers the previous weekend. Tom Cursons scored twice at The New Lawn before Lennon Wheeldon added the third, ending a four-match winless sequence for Graham Coughlan’s side.
Boston’s last five National League matches have produced one win, two draws and two defeats. They have collected points from draws against Tamworth and Woking alongside the Forest Green victory, but defeats against Wealdstone and Fylde have contributed to an inconsistent recent run.
Recent meetings strongly favour Halifax. The clubs have faced each other four times over the previous three seasons and the Shaymen have won all four encounters, scoring five goals while conceding only once.
Halifax completed a league double over Boston last season. Josh Hmami scored the only goal in a 1-0 victory at the Jakemans Community Stadium before Owen Bray and Cody Johnson found the net in a 2-1 win at The Shay, with Ken Aboh scoring Boston’s only goal across the two meetings.
Halifax begin Tuesday 14th in the National League with 13 points from ten matches after four wins, one draw and five defeats. They have scored 15 goals and conceded 13 for a goal difference of +2. Boston sit 18th with 11 points after three wins, two draws and five defeats, scoring 13 and conceding 14.
Tuesday therefore brings together two sides separated by only two points and both looking for an immediate response to weekend defeats. Halifax will be aiming to extend their perfect recent head-to-head record against Boston, while the Pilgrims travel to The Shay searching for greater consistency after alternating between victory and defeat in their last two fixtures.
