Non-league round-up: Troubles mount up for FC Halifax and Guiseley

FC Halifax Town are now just two points above the National League drop zone after they let a half-time lead slip to lose 2-1 at home to Ebbsfleet.
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Matty Kosylo’s first-half penalty gave Town a half-time lead, but substitute Corey Whitely and Luke Coulson scored within six minutes of each other as the visitors turned the game on its head.

Neil Young rightly kept the same side that drew impressively at Wrexham, and they picked up where they left off at the Racecourse Ground, with Tom Denton twice going close, as he did a week ago.

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Town had been getting plenty of joy down their left flank, and from another Kosylo charge, a fairly reckless lunge by Kenny Clark brought the home side a penalty, with Kosylo converting from the spot.

But Ebbsfleet equalised 10 minutes into the second-half when they took advantage of some statuesque defending as Danny Kedwell set-up Coulson, and after his shot was parried by Sam Johnson, debutant Whitely tapped-in with his first touch since coming on at half-time.

It went from bad to worse as more slack marking from Town allowed Dave Winfield to head a free-kick back across goal and Coulson reacted quickest to nod it over Johnson from six yards.

The turnaround was difficult to fathom, with Town hardly giving Ebbsfleet a sniff in the first-half, although the visitors certainly upped their game after the interval.

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But once Town’s defence sprung a leak, their confidence seemed to drain away.

Elsewhere, Harry Pritchard scored twice as Maidenhead fought back from a goal down to inflict a 3-1 defeat on rock-bottom Guiseley.

The West Yorkshire side have now lost all seven games since drawing their opening match of 2018, although they did manage to take an 18th-minute lead through Dayle Southwell.

Maidenhead were level inside 11 minutes though, Jake Hyde slotting home following a scramble.

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The visitors then took the lead on the stroke of half-time when Pritchard cut inside and slotted past Luke Coddington.

The same player then made it 3-1 just three minutes into the second half after netting on a counter-attack, and there was no way back for Guiseley as they crashed to a 19th league defeat of the campaign.

In National League North, Harrogate Town beat Kidderminster Harriers 2-0, while York City slumped 4-1 at Curzon Ashton.

Bradford Park Avenue were 3-0 losers at Blyth Spartans, the same scoreline North Ferriby United lost out to Southport.

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