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FC Halifax Town 4-2 Chesterfield: Spireites made to wait for promotion after defeat

Last updated on .From the section National Leaguecomments135

Halifax celebrate
Halifax scored three goals in 15 first-half minutes

Chesterfield were forced to keep the promotion champagne on ice as the runaway National League leaders lost 4-2 at Halifax.

The Spireites only needed a point to rubberstamp their place in League Two but instead were beaten by the in-form Shaymen, who moved into the play-off places after a seventh win in eight games.

Paul Cook's frontrunners took the lead shortly after the half-hour when top-scorer Will Grigg prodded home a rebound off the post, but were behind within eight minutes as Rob Harker converted a quickfire double.

Halifax made it 3-1 just before the break through Andrew Oluwabori, who then turned provider for Aaron Cosgrave in the 66th minute.

James Berry-McNally raced clear to grab one back with 11 minutes left but Chesterfield were unable to fashion the comeback that would have secured top spot in the division.

Match report supplied by PA Media.

Line-ups

Halifax

Formation 4-4-2

  • 1Johnson
  • 2GoldenBooked at 28mins
  • 6Stott
  • 8Hunter
  • 3Galvin
  • 5SeniorBooked at 85mins
  • 14Thompson-Sommers
  • 18HotiSubstituted forEvansat 60'minutes
  • 9HarkerBooked at 89mins
  • 22OluwaboriSubstituted forSummerfieldat 69'minutes
  • 19CosgraveSubstituted forWrightat 82'minutes

Substitutes

  • 4Summerfield
  • 12Evans
  • 17Wright
  • 28Jenkins
  • 31Scott

Chesterfield

Formation 4-4-2

  • 1Tyrer
  • 12WilliamsSubstituted forPalmerat 76'minutes
  • 5Grimes
  • 17DobraBooked at 50mins
  • 4Naylor
  • 33Clements
  • 28Banks
  • 11ColcloughSubstituted forBerryat 59'minutes
  • 9GriggBooked at 90mins
  • 7Mandeville
  • 15HobsonSubstituted forQuigleyat 82'minutes

Substitutes

  • 10Jacobs
  • 18Berry
  • 21Palmer
  • 27Quigley
  • 35Jones
Referee:
James Westgate
Attendance:
4,127

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, FC Halifax Town 4, Chesterfield 2.

  2. Booking

    Will Grigg (Chesterfield) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

  3. Full Time

    Second Half ends, FC Halifax Town 4, Chesterfield 2.

  4. Booking

    Rob Harker (FC Halifax Town) is shown the yellow card.

  5. Booking

    Adam Senior (FC Halifax Town) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

  6. Substitution

    Substitution, FC Halifax Town. Max Wright replaces Aaron Cosgrave.

  7. Substitution

    Substitution, Chesterfield. Joe Quigley replaces Bailey Hobson.

  8. Goal!

    Goal! FC Halifax Town 4, Chesterfield 2. James Berry (Chesterfield).

  9. Substitution

    Substitution, Chesterfield. Ashley Palmer replaces Tyrone Williams.

  10. Substitution

    Substitution, FC Halifax Town. Luke Summerfield replaces Andrew Oluwabori.

  11. Goal!

    Goal! FC Halifax Town 4, Chesterfield 1. Aaron Cosgrave (FC Halifax Town).

  12. Substitution

    Substitution, FC Halifax Town. Jack Evans replaces Florent Hoti.

  13. Substitution

    Substitution, Chesterfield. James Berry replaces Ryan Colclough.

  14. Booking

    Armando Dobra (Chesterfield) is shown the yellow card.

  15. Second Half

    Second Half begins FC Halifax Town 3, Chesterfield 1.

  16. Half Time

    First Half ends, FC Halifax Town 3, Chesterfield 1.

  17. Goal!

    Goal! FC Halifax Town 3, Chesterfield 1. Andrew Oluwabori (FC Halifax Town).

  18. Goal!

    Goal! FC Halifax Town 2, Chesterfield 1. Rob Harker (FC Halifax Town).

  19. Goal!

    Goal! FC Halifax Town 1, Chesterfield 1. Rob Harker (FC Halifax Town).

  20. Goal!

    Goal! FC Halifax Town 0, Chesterfield 1. Will Grigg (Chesterfield).

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135 comments

  • Comment posted by melissa, at 22:10 20 Mar

    Chesterfield obviously want to win it at their place on Saturday! But well done Halifax the form team pushing Oldham down another place 👏

    • Reply posted by Oscar Orwell, at 13:22 21 Mar

      Oscar Orwell replied:
      Chesterfield want the crowning moment at home Saturday, bye bye none league with 6 games to go. best of the rest...!

  • Comment posted by Valiant54, at 22:50 20 Mar

    I would love to see Halifax go up . Best of luck from a Vale fan.

    • Reply posted by halifaxtownfan, at 07:25 21 Mar

      halifaxtownfan replied:
      Neil Aspin did a brilliant job for both teams.

  • Comment posted by TheFutureIsUnwritten, at 22:59 20 Mar

    I reckon Chesterfield won't be too disappointed at this loss tonight simply because I think their next game at home will now be a sell out and it will be one huge party once they get the result they need.
    I'm a Notts County fan,but was always impressed with Chesterfield when they played (and beat us!
    Good squad of players and manager.
    Mandeville is absolute class and very underrated.
    Good luck

    • Reply posted by maqrkie, at 23:27 20 Mar

      maqrkie replied:
      he played for doncaster rovers for 3 years in lg1 was a good player

  • Comment posted by geow93, at 22:07 20 Mar

    Excellent result for Halifax

    • Reply posted by wilbur, at 22:12 20 Mar

      wilbur replied:
      Bank on them .

  • Comment posted by LittleDibDob, at 22:29 20 Mar

    Game of the season at The Shay. Brilliant result. Chesterfield can go up in front of their own fans now and good luck in League 2 next season. Shaymen need to keep the momentum going. Not much we can do about the pitch. Well done to the groundsman for even getting it playable. Just.

  • Comment posted by Terrier_fan, at 22:06 20 Mar

    Great win for the Shaymen. Good luck for rest of season (from a noisy neighbour!!)

    • Reply posted by wilbur, at 22:13 20 Mar

      wilbur replied:
      Hudders are moooooooooooo.

  • Comment posted by mattlofty, at 22:16 20 Mar

    Fantastic win for Town, reminds me of our unexpected win against Wrexham last year! And congratulations Chesterfield, great season, enjoy the celebrations on Saturday

  • Comment posted by Dave, at 07:40 21 Mar

    Of course Chesterfield will be champions, but there’s always this focus on it being mathematically certain. Just enjoy the football, enjoy this time in your history and celebrate when the time comes. You’re in the football league next year.

    • Reply posted by BBC Riversway, at 09:18 21 Mar

      BBC Riversway replied:
      Well said.

  • Comment posted by FSBtoWembley, at 22:21 20 Mar

    Just a matter of time for the best team in the league by a country mile. Play offs are shaping up nicely. As a shots supporter I see a far few games. Its a great league, good standard and hugel entertaining. Great prices too, I take my 9 Yr old son and its free at most clubs for u11s.

  • Comment posted by HTAFC Josh, at 22:21 20 Mar

    The shaymen turned up tonight on a terrible pitch! Great game of football Chesterfield had their chances second half and on another day it could have been 4-4.

    • Reply posted by lynwbyfj, at 22:27 20 Mar

      lynwbyfj replied:
      Yes, Will Grigg was NOT on fire and missed 2 golden chances in the second half. Overall though Halifax coped better with the conditions and fought harder. Chesterfield defence looked kind of lost in the mud ..

  • Comment posted by BBC, at 22:44 20 Mar

    Hell of a result for Halifax. Form team of the league atm. Well done.

  • Comment posted by Briggsy, at 06:51 21 Mar

    Hopefully, Halifax's can make it back to the Football League. I used to enjoy reporting on their games in League 2.

  • Comment posted by steveh, at 02:23 21 Mar

    Well done you Shaymen !!!

  • Comment posted by Nudger, at 01:26 21 Mar

    Disappointing performance tonight especially when so many fans traveled. Can’t think of anyone who came out with any credit. The back four struggled as the score suggests but those in front of them didn’t help. Too many misplaced passes and players caught in possession on too many occasions. Having said that chances were missed late on that could have made a difference. Credit to Halifax though.

    • Reply posted by BBC Riversway, at 09:24 21 Mar

      BBC Riversway replied:
      I have to agree with you completely. I would just add the playing surface was very poor and I remember a trip to The Shay with similar conditions in the year 2000 when we trailed 2-0 and got out of jail with a brace of late goals. No such luck all these years on. We just need to relax and get the job done on Saturday. It is easy to think otherwise. I am not

  • Comment posted by LUFC, at 22:11 20 Mar

    Should still be a right old promotion party on Saturday in front of their own fans.

  • Comment posted by halifaxtownfan, at 07:26 21 Mar

    Brilliant win for The Shaymen! Goalscoring has been an issue for us this season - but not last night!

  • Comment posted by vdwade23, at 22:14 20 Mar

    We weren't at our best and the defence was appalling. No doubt some will say it's the pitch but in the end, that's only part of the story. On to Saturday and third time lucky.

  • Comment posted by poppy, at 08:03 21 Mar

    Just a hiccup and you should be over the line on Saturday,having lost to us in the final last season it’s fitting you will have done it this season,always enjoyed our away days at yours.

  • Comment posted by Roy G, at 06:37 21 Mar

    Wouldn’t be too disappointed with losing tonight. A win at home with a sell out crowd (party) will go down well. Your far to big a club to be in that league as is Oldham and Rochdale. Enjoy your next game, thoroughly deserved promotion. Good to see you back. Stags fan

    • Reply posted by daveshrimp, at 08:20 21 Mar

      daveshrimp replied:
      Not sure about Rochdale...think you meant Southend United ?

  • Comment posted by terry munroe , at 09:27 21 Mar

    4 up and 2 down from league 2 (and therefore 2 up -1 automatic from national league) is ridiculous

    • Reply posted by Jim, at 11:47 21 Mar

      Jim replied:
      It is ridiculous. Should be 1 up from the National League this season, Chesterfield are in a different league to the rest.

As It Stood

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Chesterfield40295697554292
2Barnet392251271531871
3Bromley391913762422070
4Solihull Moors3918111063531065
5Aldershot39196146869-163
6Halifax391711115044662
7Altrincham3917101271541761
8Gateshead381791272541860
9Oldham391514105750759
10Rochdale391410156359452
11Southend3917101257391851
12Dag & Red401310175854449
13Hartlepool38146185866-848
14Woking40138194249-747
15Ebbsfleet39138185566-1147
16Wealdstone361210144954-546
17Fylde401210186673-746
18Eastleigh391210176680-1446
19Maidenhead United391112164457-1345
20Boreham Wood391014154962-1344
21York40916154865-1743
22Kidderminster401012183447-1342
23Dorking39126214767-2042
24Oxford City4078255085-3529
View full National League table

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