FC Halifax Town 0 Tranmere Rovers 2: Defeat for Shaymen

First-half goals from Andy Cook and James Norwood put Tranmere in control, a position which they never looked like relinquishing to a below-par Halifax.

Halifax never really made a game of it, with Matty Kosylo missing a second-half penalty.

It wasn’t that long ago that the Halifax fans were singing of going to Wembley, but the Tranmere supporters’ pre-match chants got even louder when Cook scuffed shot across goal beat Sam Johnson, who arguably should have done more to keep it out.

That heralded a bright start by the visitors, with Norwood, Ollie Norburn and Connor Jennings also going close, as Rovers moved the ball about with sharp, accurate passing.

By the time the outstanding Norwood glanced a free-kick across Johnson with a free header mid-way through the first-half, the harsh truth was that Tranmere looked in a different league to Halifax. And if they play to their potential in the play-offs, soon could be.

Town created their first clear chance just before the half-hour mark when Mike Fondop-Talom could only head Raheem Hanley’s sensational cross straight at keeper Scott Davies before Connor Thomson put the rebound wide.

Cook should have capped an excellent opening-half from Tranmere but McManus cleared his shot off the line after the striker had muscled a hesitant Sam Graham off the ball.

Norwood again went close shortly after half-time with another low shot that whistled just wide after a delightful lay-off by Cook.

Halifax’s day was summed up when Kosylo’s penalty was saved after Davies had brought down Fondop-Talom in the box.