Maidenhead 0 FC Halifax Town 0: Point made for Shaymen

Barring an early flurry of chances for Maidenhead, both teams failed to impose themselves on a poor contest devoid of excitement.

Most of the game was stuck in a tangle of physical tussles and fights for second balls; pretty much what you’d expect from your average National League game in early January.

But the result represents a useful point for Billy Heath’s team, who again showed a willingness to work hard for the cause and were defensively disciplined and well organised.

It would have been a disastrous start for Town had Sam Johnson not kept out Ryan Upward’s shot from inside the box in the first five minutes.

Less than 10 had gone when Sean Marks headed against the bar, before Moses Emmanuel then headed wide from eight yards moments later.

Upward was again denied by Johnson after half-an-hour after Maidenhead broke from a Town corner.

Town’s first effort on goal came just before the hour mark when the returning Matty Brown’s header was well saved by Carl Pentney from Jake Hibbs’ corner.

Michael Collins saw more of the ball after half-time as Halifax demonstrated a bit more control in possession, but still didn’t offer enough attacking threat.

Neither did the hosts though in a game that had got worse as it went on.

Maidenhead: Pentney, Clerima, Massey, Odametery, Steer, Emmanuel (Owusu 73), Comley, Pritchard, Goodman, Upward, Marks. Subs not used: Peters, Hammond, Kilman.

Halifax: Johnson, Moyo, Brown, Garner, Wilde, Macdonald, Hibbs, Collins, Clarke, Tomlinson (Kosylo 73), Waring (Denton 54). Subs not used: Nicholson, Oliver, Duckworth.

Referee: Savvas Yianni