FC Halifax Town 3 Braintree 6: Shay misery for Town

The Shaymen have now conceded 53 goals in 20 league games this season, and have now shipped 22 in their last five home matches.

Since beating Braintree 1-0 at The Shay last season, Halifax have now won just three of their 35 league outings; relegation form in anyone’s language.

But it spoke volumes about their campaign so far that this was only their third heaviest league defeat of the season.

Six goals in a frenetic first 32 minutes made for a breathless first-half, with Braintree charging into a 4-1 lead after just half-an-hour.

Alex Woodyard’s opener was quickly cancelled out by Jordan Burrow, before a brace from Michael Cheek and a Kenny Davis penalty seemed to put the visitors out of reach.

Shaun Tuton’s double at least clawed back some lost ground before the interval, but soon after it, Cheek completed his hat-trick after another Braintree corner wasn’t properly dealt with.

Sam Szmodics then got the goal his performance deserved but only from another self-inflicted wound before the heavens opened to reflect the gloom currently surrounding The Shay.

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