It's been nearly a week since the wonderful day, but what a wonderful day it was. Scraping dust off my sunglasses we got down to Ossett in less than an hour, spending a while in the cricket club public house, watching a fairly lacklustre United–City derby and missing United's winning goal at the end to get to the ground.
As nice as it is, Dimplewells doesn't seem able to hold the 3000 it promised, but managed to pack together 1000+ excited Shaymen travellers from all around fine, making it a snug fit with all 250 seats taken, and all the sides lined. The pitch conforms to the slope of the hill it sits on and was parched on the day, accounting for a very bouncy surface that took some warming to. Behind one goal was a mix 'n match covered stand with a bit of barriers, and the other had a nice original touch of an Amazon hut-style rickety wooden covering. Covering half of one side was the decent seater stand and the other side had a step, and was about 50cm wide. They didn't fail on programmes which was a good surprise, and a good read too (a few humble comments that was flattering with no need), but the bar was closed with last year's fiasco in mind.
In light of how heated it got then, as well as on the first-ever FCHT game, a friendly at Ossett where Jim Vince threatened to take our players off due to Albion's foul play, it seemed poetic justice to win today's. But with Ossett running up the slope from the pit of play-off relegation, a battle was still to be fought.
Play was barely opened up until the 15th minute, and on the half-hour mark Deano pin-pointed a Premier-standard header from a good cross right over the 'keeper's reach. Albion stepped up a little and had a change Hedge could only get a finger to, before embarrassingly stranding him with a clever lob. The score lined up at one all for half-time.
The second half saw both sides more motivated, but it was on Albion's first attack that their second goal got in, as crafty work from their Shane Kelsey beat all the players so he could slot it in and awaken their fans from their grave of silence.
Cheers, moodyb1.
Our away support got into higher uproar than ever though, and the Shaymen didn't give up penetration into the Albion half. We were awarded with a goal, Albion crumbled in confidence, and two more followed towards the end. Goalmouth scrambles aplenty and the four was a good reflective against a team that did for the most part, put up a fight. On merit of Saturday's performance I cannot be hostile to their squad. Shaymen left the building singing, and waiting about for cars to leave the dressing room seemed to be going mental. It emerged Lancaster drew to Colwyn and the title was more or less ours, bar a massive goal difference mishap. Looks like we're champions.
Ossett Albion 2 – 4 FC Halifax Town; att. 1170 (just about missed the record of 1200, bugger)
Ground: 7/10
Pitch: 5.5/10
Programme: 8/10
Non-partisan entertainment: 8/10
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