FC Halifax 5 Lincoln City 1: Gregory back in style as the Shaymen move up

A bumper festive crowd of 1,979 saw the Shaymen round-off the year in perfect fashion as they cemented their status as the highest scorers on their own patch in the Skrill Premier.

Halifax were handed a dream start when Alan Power’s two-footed lunge on Matt Pearson handed the hosts a penalty and Power a straight red.

Dan Gardner converted from the spot to send the hosts on their way to a seemingly comfortable victory. That is the way it turned out, but not before a goalkeeping howler by Matt Glennon allowed Ben Tomlinson the simplest of finishes after the Halifax man failed to grasp a through ball.

But Gardner set-up Lee Gregory barely 60 seconds later and the Halifax striker, making his first start for over a month after hand surgery, deftly dinked the ball over Lincoln goalkeeper Paul Farman.

Halifax dominated the rest of the contest, with Pearson and former Lincoln man Adam Smith both hitting the post.

But it was not until the 80th minute that the result was put beyond doubt when Smith capped a super display by leading a rapid counter-attack before cutting inside and smashing home right-footed.

Substitute Jon Worthington then registered his first goal of the season as the floodgates finally opened as he unleashed a spectacular drive from 30 yards.

Fellow Halifax substitute Reece Gray then rounded-off the win with a curling shot from 20 yards across goal in stoppage time.

Halifax have moved to within one point of the play-offs in sixth place on 41 points from 26 games.

Luton Town lead the way with 53 points from 25 games and are followed by Cambridge (52-24), Alfreton (46-26), Grimsby (43-23) and Kidderminster (42-25).

FC Halifax Town: Glennon, Maynard, Ainge, Roberts, McManus, Smith, Pearson, Marshall (Worthington 67), Gardner (Gray 76), Wilson, Gregory (Ironside 82). Unused substitutes: Senior, Anderson.

Lincoln City: Farman, Brown, Jordan, Dixon, Newton, Power, Fofana (Fairhurst 58), Foster, Rowe, Robinson (Nolan 46), Tomlinson. Unused substitutes: Cunningham, Thomas, Preece.

Referee: A Backhouse.

Man of the match: Adam Smith.