A tense and closely fought encounter at The Shay Stadium saw FC Halifax Town secure a valuable 1-0 victory over Woking, courtesy of Angelo Capello’s first-half finish. The match, a tactical affair far from free-flowing, was characterised by midfield battles and a steady accumulation of bookings.
The decisive moment arrived in the 14th minute. A well-constructed Halifax move culminated in Adam Senior delivering a precise pass to Capello, who found himself unmarked inside the penalty area. The midfielder displayed composure beyond his years, calmly slotting the ball past the Woking goalkeeper to give the home side an early lead. Stung by the setback, Woking struggled to establish any consistent attacking rhythm. Their growing frustration was evident in the 40th minute when manager Michael Doyle received a yellow card for dissent. Reflecting the increasingly physical nature of the contest, Halifax’s Adam Alimi-Adetoro also entered the referee’s notebook just before half-time for a foul.
Woking emerged for the second half with renewed purpose, attempting to find a route back into the game. Around the hour mark, a triple substitution saw Matt Ward, Lewis Walker, and Tom Leahy introduced, signalling Woking’s attacking intent. However, the Halifax defence stood firm, resolutely repelling Woking’s advances. The visitors’ hopes of an equaliser were further hampered by a series of fouls, resulting in yellow cards that disrupted their momentum and allowed Halifax to effectively manage their slender lead. Halifax also made substitutions, introducing fresh legs to help see out the victory. Capello, the match-winner, was substituted late in the game to a deserved ovation from the appreciative home crowd.
The final whistle confirmed a hard-fought three points for FC Halifax Town, lifting them to 8th in the National League table. Woking, meanwhile, remain in 19th place. The result extends Halifax’s recent dominance in this fixture, marking their third victory in the last four meetings between the two sides. Woking will be aiming to redress the balance when they host Halifax later in the season.