Nantwich 2 FC Halifax Town 4: Shaymen take large stride towards Wembley

Halifax have one foot firmly in the Wembley final thanks to goals from Scott McManus, Waide Fairhurst and two from Jordan Burrow.

Goals from Sean Cooke and Matty Kosylo have kept Nantwich hopes alive.

Harvey said: “I’m delighted with that. As much as I’ve said all along that the league is the priority for me, and it is, I’m delighted because this will give everybody such a boost.

“A two-goal cushion to take home is more than we could have expected.

“I know the players are delighted with that and it will keep up the spirits and put us in a good frame of mind for a more important game, in my mind, Torquay on Tuesday.”

McManus blasted Halifax into a stunning early lead with his first goal in nearly a year and Fairhurst, making his first start since April last year, was well-placed to turn the ball in after James Bolton’s flick-on.

Cooke struck a superb shot to make it 2-1, but Halifax flew out of the traps after half-time when Burrow netted his first goal for a month. Substitute Josh Macdonald earned a penalty after a weaving run, with Burrow finding the bottom corner from the spot.

Kosylo then hammered the ball high into the net from a corner with just over 10 minutes left.

Nantwich Town: Smith, White, Short, Moran, Harrison, Osbourne, Kosylo, Hall (Shotton 46), Hancock, Bell (Jones 70), Cooke. Unused substitutes: Burzynski, Gordon, Bailey.

FC Halifax Town: Johnson, Bolton (Hibbs 64), Brown, Bencherif, Roberts, Wroe, James, Walker (Peniket 83), McManus, Burrow, Fairhurst (J Macdonald 59). Unused substitutes: Porter, S McDonald.

Referee: Graham Salisbury (Lancs).

Man of the match: Hamza Bencherif.

Grimsby Town enjoyed a 1-0 win at Bognor Regis in the other semi-final.