News Update : Shaymen Fans Drops Heartwarming Message Concerning Pre-season saying ” Their performance was better, But ..

The wait goes on for a warm-up win, and for a goal; it’s now over four-and-a-half hours since The Shaymen last netted.

They got closer here, but they are not producing results to inspire much confidence with the season looming.
Their performance was better, but a lack of end product has to be addressed.After waiting 180 minutes for a shot on target, Town registered one after 12 seconds when Max Wright burst through the middle and prodded straight at Conor O’Keefe.

There was an improvement from Halifax following two underwhelming outings at Radcliffe and Scunthorpe; off-the-ball they regained possession high up the pitch and pressed with tenacity, and on-the-ball, they attacked with more tempo.

One of three efforts in as many minutes early on by Aaron Cosgrave, the triallist left-back and Zak Emmerson might have ended up in the net.

The Shaymen produced some nice interplay down their left flank, while Max Wright, on the right, was nippy and zippy.

Town had more control over the game, and finally looked like a higher-division team against a side from a lower level.

Former Ashton loanee Adam Senior volleyed over from a corner, while Emmerson showed some deft touches, like when he wrong-footed an Ashton defender after Jamie Cooke won possession back in a dangerous area, before being crowded out.

The striker then miscued a shot from the left of the box after a lovely pass by Cooke.

But Halifax ended the opening half with about as much luck playing out from the back as Ashton had for the first 40 minutes, conceding possession far too easily and inviting some pressure.

An injury to Town’s triallist left-back saw Chris Millington switch to 3-4-1-2, but the visitors didn’t quite seem as comfortable in it.

The Shaymen remained the more productive and purposeful side after the interval, with Wright and Emmerson firing off target.

Ashton’s first effort on target was a tame low shot by Darius Osei, which summed up the hosts’ fairly limited threat.

Halifax couldn’t be faulted for effort, throwing themselves into tackles and 50-50’s, but still a goal eluded them.

Not Ashton though. A Halifax player did find the net, but it was at the wrong end as a shot was tipped to the feet of Festus Arthur by Town’s triallist keeper and the defender could only watch it bounce over the line.

Town’s response featured too many untidy passess and touches to muster much pressure, their efforts summed up by Wright’s wayward cross over the bar.

A foul by Adam Alimi-Adetoro then handed Ashton the chance to seal the win, which was emphatically taken as Halifax’s triallist keeper was sent the wrong way with a blasted effort.

Ashton United: O’Keefe, Cowan, Burke, White, Doherty, Lowe, Hardy, Baird, Triallist, Osei, Triallist. Subs: Newton, Denton, Bjork, Catt, Massey, Triallist, Triallist.

Scorers: Arthur (og 73), Triallist (87)

Shots on target: 3

Shots off target: 4

Corners: 2

Halifax: Johnson, Senior, Arthur, Cummings, Triallist, Jenkins, Pugh, Wright, Cosgrave, Cooke, Emmerson. Subs: Sinfield, Chikukwa, Lavelle, Triallist, Alimi-Adetoro.

Shots on target: 3

Shots off target: 8

Corners: 5

Town man of the match: Toss up between Cooke and Wright. Both were better in the first-half than the second, as Town were overall. I’ll give it to Wright, who made some really good runs and looked sharp