Halifax's topsy-turvy season continued on Tuesday evening when they were held to a 2-2 draw at The Shay by geographical neighbours York City.

Across the years Town have traditionally held a strong home record, so boss Chris Wilder will be disappointed that a proportion of their seven draws in front of the faithful this season have not turned into victories. Nevertheless, just one League defeat in Yorkshire means United are in for a tough afternoon, as they aim to win at Town for the first time in more than thirty years.

Winding back the clock we find Town promoted to the Football League in 1998, thanks to an unbeaten home record. However, as each campaign passed, the Shaymen swam further into the shark infested waters of relegation and, at the end of the 2001/02 season were marooned nine points adrift of safety, and duly returned to The Conference.

Undulating Times

Current boss Wilder took the managerial reins in July 2002, and has since endured undulating times with the club. His first campaign in charge resulted in a healthy eighth place, whilst 2003/04 proved disappointing as they finished nineteenth. 2004/05 was a little more successful; Town ending a slender six points from the play-offs.

Prior to 2005/06 the recruitment of experienced head Peter Atherton along with coaches Lee Butler and Wayne Jacobs helped cement the squad, with just one defeat and eleven goals conceded at home proving Wilder's judgement to be correct.

Town rubber-stamped a play-off semi-final with Grays and, following Martin Foster's decisive late penalty in Essex, The Shaymen set up a showpiece final with Hereford. Chris Killeen scored a 25-yard thunderbolt to put Town 1-0 up at the Walkers Stadium, (home to Leicester City) Hereford equalised, but John Grant, (now at Aldershot) restored the lead before another Bulls leveller sent the game into extra-time. Agonisingly though, it was not to be and Hereford scored the crucial goal to break blue hearts.

Protracted Takeover

Wilder did not feel pressured into tampering too much with his squad last season, but summer signings icing the Halifax cake included strikers Shane Smeltz and Andy Campbell, who flew the respective nests of MK Dons and Dunfermline, along with journeyman defender Gus Uhlenbeek and former Hereford stopper Craig Mawson.

Unfortunately, though, a protracted takeover put the very livelihood of the club in doubt, with performances affected and Wilder close to joining our own Mighty U's prior to Jimmy Quinn's arrival; Town duly finding themselves in a relegation battle with United. Thankfully eighteen away defeats, the worst tally in the division by some distance, was counterbalanced again by their form at The Shay, with victories in their remaining two matches ensuring survival.

Against a backdrop of the proposed takeover of Town still rumbling on, (as it is at the time of writing), Wilder released six players prior to the commencement of the current campaign, whilst he surprisingly allowed experience in the shape of Martin Foster, Steve Haslam, Tyrone Thompson, Greg Strong, Chris Senior and Chris Billy to leave the club.

However, the fans were placated by a season-long loan deal for talented midfielder Anthony Griffith, who arrived from Doncaster, and the capture of veteran defender Rob Scott from Macclesfield. Adam Legzdins also joined temporarily to add steel to the goalkeeping department, whilst the early season signing of Burton striker Jon Shaw, who bagged 26 goals in 78 League starts at The Pirelli Stadium, was an exciting coup.

Broke the Duck

Two defeats and two draws in the opening five games immediately dented optimism before a 3-0 home win over Droylsden finally broke the duck. A first away win then came at Stafford, prior to a poor run of just one win in ten matches; including a 0-0 FA Cup fourth qualifying round draw at BGB Division One side Evesham and their 2-2 draw with United at The Abbey. The League table also made ugly reading, with Wilder's men sitting perilously in 18th place. Sanity amongst fans was saved when Evesham were despatched in a replay, with their 3-0 home win over improving Crawley providing breathing space. Again, Town's home League form was resolute, but an uncharacteristic 4-0 FA Cup reverse at The Shay against Burton did nothing for relaxation levels.

Wilder consequently moved to stabilise matters with the loan signing of Barnsley midfielder Simon Heslop, and the 20-year old made an instant impression by scoring in the morale-boosting 3-2 away win at Stevenage. However, the run in to Xmas produced a solitary win at Histon, whilst the home League record was finally dented by a 3-0 defeat to Exeter.

The January transfer window gave Wilder a chance to batten down the bridges. Three players were shipped out including, somewhat unexpectedly, defender Cortez Belle who signed for Northwich, whilst their departures were weighed against incoming personnel in the form of permanent captures from Barnsley; Nathan Joynes and Thomas Harban, a striker and defender respectively. Furthermore, Adam Legzdins joined for a second loan spell along with defenders Brian O'Callaghan from Cork, Notts Forest youngster Tom Sharpe and Bradford's Simon Ainge. Also jumping onto the carousel temporarily is Doncaster midfielder Craig Nelthorpe, who has already repaid Town by notching two goals in three starts since arriving.

Impact on Results

New faces within the squad have had an impact on results, with Town suffering just one League loss, at Woking, since the turn of the year. Progression has also been made to the Setanta Shield Quarter-Finals but, nevertheless, Wilder will be unhappy that three closely-fought League draws, including the aforementioned midweek home clash with York, could have ended in maximum points.

Town are currently sat in eighteenth place, whilst top scorer is Jon Shaw who has 17 goals. He is backed up by the injury-prone Andy Campbell who has bagged six, and new recruit Nathan Joynes who sits on one goal from three starts.

Previous Meetings

22 encounters have taken place between United and Halifax since the inaugural clash in October 1973, with today's hosts ahead on overall honours. The U's have recorded nine victories across the years as opposed to six Town wins, whilst the remaining matches have produced seven draws.

David Gwyther's header gave George Mulhall's Town a 1-0 Division Three win at The Abbey in that first encounter and, although United gained revenge with a 1-0 away success later that season, Bill Leivers charges were relegated. By 1976/77 Town had dropped into Division Four; Ron Atkinson's men duly romping to a double over The Yorkshiremen. Firstly a 2-0 away win, interestingly United's last at The Shay, was pocketed, with a 4-0 home victory secured in April.

It was not until September 1985, for a Canon Division Four game at The Shay, that we met again. A 1-1 draw unfolded in Yorkshire, whilst David Crown's hat-trick sealed a 4-0 home win later that season. A series of uneventful low-scoring encounters took place over the next few three years, with the clubs eventually parting company for eight seasons due to United's subsequent rise and fall through the Football League being coupled with Town's drop into the Conference.

Last Encounter

Pleasantries resumed in 1998/99 with a memorable Nationwide Division Three clash at The Shay on 20 October that concluded 3-3. In spite of a good display, Town found themselves in 23rd place but recovered to conclude the season in tenth, whilst Roy McFarland's men clinched promotion after finishing second.

Halifax secured a 3-1 FA Cup first round triumph at The Shay in November 2004 but, since that aforementioned Division Three encounter, both sides have dropped into the non-League top tier. We reconvened in October 2005 when Town pocketed a 1-0 home win, with the Abbey return culminating in a 1-1 draw following goals from United's Craig Westcarr and a late John Grant equaliser.

Last season saw both sides struggling against relegation, but Town duly recorded the double over their compatriots. Adam Quinn and Mark Roberts rubber-stamped a 2-1 victory at The Abbey in August, which was then cradled by a 1-0 April success in Yorkshire (above) thanks to Steve Torpey's winner.

Our last meeting ended 2-2 at The Abbey in October of this season [report], Marvin Robinson and Rob Wolleaston putting United 2-1 ahead before Town's Cortez Belle snatched a point for the visitors with eight minutes remaining.

Doug Shulman

Current form:

Halifax: DDWLDD
Cambridge: LWWLWD

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