Braintree 0 FC Halifax Town 0: Aspin hails precious point for Shaymen

FC Halifax Town chief Neil Aspin said it was a good point as the Shaymen moved up to second in the Conference Premier.
Neil AspinNeil Aspin
Neil Aspin

Braintree had scored in each of their five home games, winning four, but neither side were at their best in a scrappy game.

Halifax came closest after the restart when Paul Marshall’s free-kick was saved by Nick Hamman as the sides who finished sixth and fifth, respectively, last season again proved there is little between them.

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Aspin said: “It didn’t help that it was warm and the grass was long. You weren’t going to get a quick tempo to the game, so I did expect it.

“I thought it might be decided on a set-piece or a mistake. But I feel it’s a good point rather than being disappointed. Points away from home are always good points.

“The most important thing was we didn’t switch off like we did here last year. We weren’t negative, we made substitutions and tried to win but it was a very difficult game in terms of making chances.

“The lads have had to graft to get a point and it was probably a fair result.”

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Halifax were up for the battle, none more so than stand-in captain Marc Roberts, who had a goalbound header blocked and who needed a change of shirt after a clash of heads.

Although Halifax created little outside of set-pieces, Braintree did not have a shot on target and they were out-muscled throughout. To their credit, the Shaymen forced 11 corners and had three attempts on target.

Braintree: Hamann, Peters, Habergham, Brundle, Massey, Mulley, Davis, Walker (Bakare 72), Isaac, Akinola, Cox. Unused substitutes: Smith, Maybanks, Case; Pentney.

AFC Halifax Town: Glennon, K Roberts, M Roberts, Ainge (Jackson 59), Williams, McManus, Smith (Peniket 59), Marshall, Pearson (Schofield 81) Boden, Hattersley. Unused substitutes: Senior, Hibbs.

Referee: D Rock (Hertfordshire).

Man of the match: Marc Roberts.