FC Halifax Town suffered a late setback at the Shay Stadium, succumbing to a 2-0 defeat against Maidenhead United in a match that remained tightly contested for the majority of the afternoon. Watched by an attentive crowd, the game was goalless until the final few minutes, with both teams struggling to penetrate the opposing defences.
The first half was characterised by a cautious approach from both sides, with clear goal-scoring opportunities scarce. The physical nature of the midfield battle was evident when Maidenhead’s Kane Ferdinand received a yellow card in the 34th minute for a foul. Halifax’s Tom Pugh was similarly cautioned just before the interval, also for a foul, as referee Andrew Miller maintained a watchful presence.
At half-time, Maidenhead manager Alan Devonshire made a tactical adjustment, replacing Casey Pettit with Tristan Abrahams. The substitution of a midfielder for a forward suggested an intention to inject greater attacking impetus into his team.
The second half continued in a similar vein, becoming a scrappy affair marked by substitutions and minor fouls. In the 63rd minute, Halifax made a double substitution, introducing Zak Emmerson and Sean Tarima in place of Jamie Cooke and Tom Pugh, respectively, in an attempt to invigorate their attack and strengthen their defence. Angelo Capello then received a yellow card for Halifax in the 69th minute. Maidenhead responded in the 75th minute by replacing Brendan Kiernan with Sam Barratt. Halifax then introduced Luca Thomas for Daniel Nkrumah in the 81st minute.
The game dramatically changed in the final ten minutes. In the 86th minute, substitute Sam Barratt, assisted by Reece Smith, broke the deadlock for Maidenhead, silencing the home supporters. Just two minutes later, Shawn McCoulsky doubled Maidenhead’s lead, again assisted by Smith, leaving Halifax struggling to respond. A flurry of late substitutions followed from both sides as Halifax desperately sought a way back into the match, introducing Owen Bray and Harvey Sutcliffe, while Maidenhead brought on Owen Cochrane and Miles Welch-Hayes in an attempt to secure the victory. Oluwatobi Sho-Silva then replaced McCoulsky for Maidenhead in the 90th minute.
The final whistle confirmed a smash-and-grab victory for Maidenhead. The result represents a significant blow for Halifax Town, who, prior to the match, occupied a comfortable 5th position with 64 points, firmly within the play-off places, but this defeat sees them drop to 6th. For Maidenhead, the win provides a valuable boost to their survival hopes. They started the day in 22nd position with 41 points, and this victory lifts them, although their overall league position remains precarious.