Hot-shot Lee takes starring role again
Lee Gregory took his tally to 28 goals in 31 games for the season as Town saw off fellow play-off contenders Alfreton 2-0 at the Shay. If this was an audition for potential Football League suitors watching on BT Sport, then Gregory certainly didn’t suffer from stage fright in front of the national audience.
The Halifax captain is seemingly on a one-man crusade to ensure Town follow his likely exit up the league ladder this summer as he made it 12 goals in his last nine games.
Neil Aspin again named an unchanged side, although Town might have wanted to change the referee if they had their way.
Darren Handley hardly endeared himself to Town fans when he awarded Cambridge a debatable free-kick which led to their equaliser at the Shay in January.
His popularity pretty much fell through the floor less than 10 minutes in when he waved away Town’s appeals for a penalty and what looked like a free-kick just outside the box.
Town had started far better and came close to grabbing a deserved lead in a frantic spell of three efforts in 10 seconds, with Pearson denied by the on-rushing Jon Worsnop.
Gregory’s shot was then blocked before Adam Smith’s lob was cleared off the line by Nathaniel Rowe-Turner.
But the almost inevitable breakthrough arrived when Gregory stopped the ball dead amid a penalty box scramble before deftly curling the ball out of Worsnop’s reach.
Gregory’s hold-up play and close control had already established him as the stand-out performer by that point, with Smith also catching they eye as he tormented Lowe-Turner and provided a relentless supply of crosses.
The visitors put together a good spell as the first-half wore on, with John Akinde nearly capitalising on Marc Roberts’ error when the Town defender missed his kick, but his shot whistled over the bar with Glennon beaten.
Mr Handley crammed in one more questionable decision before half-time when he booked Gregory for what looked like a 50-50 challenge at worst.
Alfreton had been one of a select bunch of teams not to have been on the receiving end of Gregory’s season-long purple patch.
But the Town striker ensured some sleepless nights among the away side’s defence as he tapped in Paul Marshall’s delightful low cross five minutes after the restart.
Alfreton then produced a reminder that the three points weren’t safe yet as they struck the bar with 15 minutes left before Shaun Harrad’s free-kick was tipped over.
Smith then appeared to be pushed over the perimeter fencing by Nick Fenton, only for the referee to book both players rather than produce the red for Fenton most Town fans believed was warranted.
Harrad then forced anoth- er good save out of Glennon as the clock began to tick on Alfreton’s hopes of a comeback.
Town will be hoping Mr Handley has made his last appearance at the Shay for a while, although the win means they may well see Alfreton here again before the end of the season. Halifax: Glennon, Bolton, Roberts, Ainge, McManus, A Smith (C Smith 86), Maynard, Marshall, Pearson, Crowther (Jackson 60), Gregory. Subs not used: Senior, Lowe, McReady. Scorer: Gregory (23, 50) Shots on target: 6 Shots off target: 2 Corners: 1 Alfreton: Worsnop, Rowe-Turner, Fenton, Franklin, Law, Wood, Poku (Bradley 46), Shaw ( Hoganson 73), Harrad, Clayton (Whitehouse 65), Akinde. Subs not used: Jones, Meadows. Shots on target: 6 Shots off target: 5 Corners: 6 Attendance: 1,454 Town man of the match: Lee Gregory