Shaymen earn praise in defeat

The Shaymen led 3-1 in the first-half but eventually lost at Kenilworth Road – six of the seven goals coming in a frantic first-half.

Aspin praised his team’s performance as they continued their search for their first away win of the season. “I want to take the positives from the game. There’s a massive difference in terms of the sizes of the clubs and finances but that wasn’t shown on the pitch today.

“I think that’s credit to the players, who’ve done fantastically well. I’m very proud of them.

“We didn’t just want to sit back and invite pressure, we’ve been positive and we looked very good going forward but we didn’t defend as well as we have been doing at the back.”

Halifax got off to a dream start when Paul Marshall turned in a loose ball after Mark Tyler palmed the ball away from the feet of Lee Gregory.

Luke Guttridge brought the hosts level when his shot was deflected in via Ryan Toulson but Halifax regained the lead when Simon Ainge nodded in Marshall’s free-kick.

Dan Gardner then produced a super individual effort from 25 yards to extend the visitors’ advantage.

Luton rallied and were level by half-time thanks to Paul Benson’s close-range effort and Andre Gray’s low drive across Matt Glennon from inside the area.

Halifax hit the woodwork twice through Lee Gregory and substitute Kevin Holsgrove, but the Hatters completed their dramatic comeback seven minutes from time when substitute Alex Wall unleashed a swerving shot from the left edge of the area that flew past Glennon.

Luton Town: Tyler, Henry (Wall 74), McNulty, Smith, Griffiths, Parry, Guttridge, Lawless, Lacey, Gray, Benson. Unused substitutes: Howells, Justham, Whalley, Robinson.

FC Halifax Town: Glennon, Toulson, Ainge, Roberts, McManus, Smith (Lowe 43), Maynard, Marshall, McReady (Williams 81), Gardner, Gregory (Holsgrove 65). Unused substitutes: Senior, Worthington.

Referee: N Kinseley (Essex).

Man of the match: Dan Gardner.