A tense and closely fought encounter at Huish Park saw FC Halifax Town edge past Yeovil Town 1-0, a victory that propelled them above their opponents in the National League table. The opening half was a cagey affair, characterised by tactical midfield battles and a distinct lack of clear-cut opportunities. The only noteworthy incident of the first 45 minutes was a yellow card shown to Yeovil’s Sonny Blu Lo-Everton in the 33rd minute for a foul. With neither side able to impose themselves, the teams went into the break goalless.
The second half, however, offered a different story. In the 57th minute, Halifax broke the deadlock with a well-constructed move culminating in Florent Hoti slotting the ball home, assisted by Jo Cummings. The goal galvanised the match, injecting much-needed energy and forcing Yeovil to chase the game. Yeovil manager Mark Cooper responded swiftly, making a double substitution in the 66th minute, replacing Frank Nouble with Josh Sims and the booked Lo-Everton with Michael Smith. Halifax also began to shuffle their pack, introducing Adan George for Adam Alimi-Adetoro in the 71st minute, followed by Jack Evans replacing Angelo Capello four minutes later, seeking to solidify their defence and protect their narrow advantage.
Despite Yeovil’s increased attacking intent, Halifax’s resolute defence held firm, frustrating the home side’s attempts to find an equaliser. As the game wore on, tensions rose, with Halifax’s Jack Jenkins and goalscorer Hoti picking up yellow cards in the 79th and 83rd minutes respectively. These bookings prompted further changes for Halifax, with Andrew Oluwabori and Owen Bray replacing Jenkins and Hoti as they looked to see out the victory. Yeovil’s woes were compounded in the 90th minute when Jake Wannell received a second yellow card, and subsequently a red, for violent conduct. A late yellow card for Halifax’s Jamie Cooke in stoppage time proved inconsequential.
The final whistle confirmed a crucial three points for Halifax, lifting them to 7th place with 29 points, one position and one point ahead of Yeovil, who slipped to 8th on 28 points. The result further intensifies the tightly contested mid-table battle in the National League. Going into the match, the two sides had met twice in recent seasons, with Yeovil boasting one win and one draw in those previous encounters.