What happened when Yorkshire staged what could be England's last competitive football match for some time

On an occasion when many more football fans than normal - starved of their weekend sporting fix for now and at least three weeks due to the coronavirus crisis - tuned into watch events from The Shay - in quite possibly England's last competitive fixture in its top six divisions for a fair while - there was little to get excited about unless you were from the Medway and it was a quiet send-off.

There was plenty to grumble about for Halifax supporters, whose side's goal drought in open play stretched to five games with Ebbsfleet - backed by a hardy band of 52 visiting supporters from Kent - continuing their recent good form on their travels with victory, thanks to Gozie Ugwu's early strike in front of a crowd of 2,154.

Ahead of kick-off, the Halifax announcer thanked season-ticket holders of other clubs who took advantage of an offer to attend the game for a cut-price fee of ten pounds, with the home faithful promptly joining in with a round of applause.

Those non-regulars at The Shay saw a first half in which Halifax showed a predilection for looking after the ball with disdain far too many times, with their duty of care in possession being sloppy at times.

It was treated like a hot potato on occasions, with home players showing a distinct lack of composure, even if the intent was there.

On the first-half evidence, it was easy to see why Halifax - who would have moved within two points of third-placed Notts County with victory - had failed to find the net in open play since February 1 and it was certainly not the sort of performance that you associate with a promotion contender.

Their main moments of devilment and aplomb came at the feet of the diminutive Jack Redshaw, whose early twist and turn ended in a low shot which was grasped by Ebbsfleet keeper Jordan Holmes.

Play quickly switched to the other end, with Josh Umerah striking the near post with a low drive - while injuring himself in the process for good measure.

It was his replacement Tomi Adeloye who played the next telling hand, giving the recalled Jerome Binnom-Williams the slip far too easily down Halifax's left, with his pull-back finding one-time Shaymen target Ugwu burying a clinical low shot into the net on 16 minutes.

Town huffed and puffed with Redshaw not far away with a well-executed curling free-kick, but there was a distinct lack of poise.

It didn't get any better on the restart - if anything it got progressively worse - with Ebbsfleet showing the limited craft on offer.

A cynical challenge by home captain Nathan Clarke on the lively Adeloye drew a booking with Josh Payne's free-kick being inches away from a second for Ebbsfleet, chasing their third successive away success.

A booking for ungentlemanly conduct for Adeloye, when he kicked the ball away, represented a rare moment of mirth for agitated home fans, afforded plenty to grumble about after the hosts gave the ball away repeatedly.

Ugwu had a chance to seal it after going solo before firing the side-netting before Wild made his first substitute in throwing Tobi Sho-Silva into the fray.

Some rare enterprise saw Binnom-Williams cut inside and see his dangerous cross-shot deflected over, with Holmes, in the Ebbsfleet goal, having precious little to do with Halifax having little punch up front.

FC Halifax Town: Johnson; Maher, Clarke, Binnom-Williams; Nolan (Sho-Silva 69), Jeff King (MacDonald 79), Cooper, Staunton; Rodney, Redshaw, Williams. Substitutes unused: Appleyard, Earing, Hanson.

Ebbsfleet United: Holmes; Ekipiteta, Grimes, Jack King; Timlin, Wilson (Lawless 85), Payne, Goddard, McGlashan; Umerah (Adeloye 14), Ugwu. Substitutes unused: Gregory, Palmer, Achuba.

Referee: B Speedie.

Attendance: 2,154 (52 Ebbsfleet supporters).