National League round-up: Jack Muldoon into double figures for Harrogate Town as Halifax Town warm up for revenge bid

Jack Redshaw’s second-half penalty earned Halifax Town a richly-deserved and much-needed 1-0 win over Chesterfield at The Shay.

Jack Muldoon struck his 10th goal of the season as Harrogate maintained their play-off challenge with a 2-0 win at bottom club Chorley.

After an encouraging first-half, the Shaymen stepped it up after the interval and banished their Boxing Day blues with a super display.

Victory set them up for their revenge attempt at home to Stockport County on New Year's Day after their 5-1 Boxing Day defeat to the same opponents.

Third-bottom Chesterfield had offered next to nothing, but went close to taking the lead when former Shay loanee Mike Fondop-Talom headed narowly wide.

Redshaw brought the game to life with a terrific run and shot that flew narrowly over a few minutes before the interval, which was the closest Halifax came in the first-half.

It continued to be nearly but not quite for Halifax, as Jeff King found Allen to the right of the area, but his low shot from a tight angle was saved by Shwan Jalal.

Halifax went closer still when Redshaw’s excellent dinked cross found Staunton unmarked near the penalty spot, but he headed over.

The pressure finally told when Redshaw was brought down and he sent Jalal the wrong way from the penalty spot.

Redshaw saw a shot beaten away by Jalal before visiting substitute Tom Denton’s header was held by Sam Johnson.

Redshaw should have sealed it but his low shot from an angle was kept out by Jalal.

Muldoon gave Harrogate Town a half-time lead and former Huddersfield striker Jon Stead extended it midway through the second half to make it back-to-back wins for Simon Weaver’s side.

Former Lincoln forward Muldoon, who scored twice in Harrogate’s 4-1 win against Hartlepool on Boxing Day, latched on to Connor Hall’s ball over the top and made no mistake in the 27th minute.

Chorley goalkeeper Matt Urwin pulled off an excellent save to deny Will Smith but was helpless soon after when rounded by Stead, who neatly slid home the visitors’ second.

Harrogate head to Hatlepool on New Year’s Day.

Former shot-shy York City pair Hamza Bencherif and Kaine Felix were on target at their old club as Guiseley secured a surprise 2-1 win in National League North.

Bencherif took just four minutes to give the visitors the lead at Bootham Crescent, having waited 83 games to open his account during a two-and-a-half year spell with the Minstermen.

After Kieran Green had replied with a spectacular equaliser, Felix then grabbed the winner on 87 minutes, despite managing just one goal in 24 outings for York.

Unmarked centre-back Bencherif converted at the far post after the home defence had failed to adequately clear a corner and Arum Soleman swung the ball back into the area.

Green restored parity just before the quarter-hour mark when he charged past three Lions defenders before firing into Marcus Dewhurst’s bottom corner from just inside the area.

But Felix settled matters when York, who have only conceded more than once in three fixtures this season, again failed to clear their lines and he curled a precise finish beyond Pete Jameson.

The effort also earned Guiseley their first back-to-back league wins since August.

Farsley cruised to a 5-0 home victory over Bradford Park Avenue, who continue to have troubles at both ends of the pitch, having now failed to net for four contests.

Tom Allan saw an early chance cleared off the line by Avenue’s Ryan Toulson and the visitors had to wait until two minutes into the second period before the floodgates opened.

A volleyed Adam Clayton cross was turned in at the far post by Nathan Cartman and Will Hayhurst doubled the advantage from the penalty spot moments later after Isaac Marriott had brought down Tyler Walton.

Dave Syers made it 3-0 just past the hour courtesy of a clinical strike before centre-back Jack Higgins found the top corner with an acrobatic volley for the goal of the game.

A second penalty was won and converted by Hayhurst to wrap up matters.