FC Halifax Town 4 Hyde United 0: Hyde battle but Halifax ultimately ease to win

The hosts eased to victory in the end, but it was far from a straightforward victory for the hosts as the Skrill Premier’s basement-dwellers belied their lowly status with a polished performance.

It looked to be another of those nights for Hyde, who had lost 14 of their previous 15 games, when Lois Maynard headed the hosts into a fifth-minute lead from Marc Roberts’s long throw.

But Hyde gave as good as they got for the remainder of the first half, although Halifax went close to doubling their lead just before the interval when Dan Gardner struck a post.

Home goalkeeper Matt Glennon was forced into two superb saves from long-range efforts by the visitors as Halifax were put on the ropes.

But they responded with a crucial second goal when Lee Gregory capped a fine counter-attack by sweeping home from Paul Marshall’s slide rule pass.

Substitute Josh Wilson then added an excellent third as the floodgates opened, blasting in from 25 yards.

Gregory got his second and Halifax’s fourth from the penalty spot after Wilson had been fouled, with Hyde going down to 10 men in the process with John Brizell having prevented what was a goal scoring opportunity for Wilson.

FC Halifax: Glennon, Pearson, Ainge, Roberts, Lowe, Marshall, Maynard, Gardner (Worthington 46), McManus (Love 75), Ironside (Wilson 61), Gregory. Unused substitutes: Senior, McReady.

Hyde United: Vigouroux, Brizell, Griffin, Haining, Ashworth, Tomsett, Blakeman (Hughes 76), Brown, Spencer (Thurston 85), Gray (Devaney 76), Almond. Unused substitutes: Collins, Poole.

Referee: Martin Coy.

Hibernian yesterday confirmed Terry Butcher as their new manager after agreeing a compensation deal with his previous club Inverness.