Matlock Town 1 – 2 Halifax Town; 16/11/10.

Matlock Town 1 – 2 Halifax Town; 16/11/10.

Turns out the Peak District has possibly the coldest weather in England. Cold but not numb in Leeds as I set off; cold but not numb as I arrived back at 11:15pm. 300 or so Shaymen going down Matlock way for a craic have experienced their first properly extremity-freezing match of the season, but all with good earnings.

Matlock fortunately have their ground, Causeway Lane, at a central location to their small town. A three-side ground extends into a cricket pitch, fenced off behind one goal for the more serious
sport. On one side a new stand proudly looks over the bobbly pitch, beside an unfinished clubhouse structure with good vantage. Behind the other goal is a mini-terrace with several poles which greatly impinge on your viewing, as I found when I could only tell the ball went in the Matlock net for the second time by the fan reaction. Another long stand-or-two spreads itself over the touchline parallel to Causeway Lane itself, is wooden, and both rickety and cricket-y. The new stand probably trumps the others as despite having to sit down, the vantage point is the best. Get involved here.

 

Ooh, shiny.

Unsurprisingly, the match was fast from the start. It was a compliment to us, despite edging it in play, when Deano skipped over a goalkeeper and defender that became entangled with each other to score into an open net from a tricky angle 14 minutes in. When Matlock attacked though, they attacked just as strongly. In one break Hedge ran out from his position and Matlock regained the ball. How many other defenders in this league would have cleared that effort from the six-yard box with a seal-like kick is unknown. We could have taken advantage of two easy close-range efforts (Holland skying it, Garner swiping at it) in the first half when Matlock weren't quite as strong, but the result's still fair and there for all to see.

 Drinking on the terraces? St Pauli? No, Matlock Town.

In the past year, Aspin's tactics have snuffed out the most dangerous strikers. Scott Barlow's tally? 0. Jordan Connerton's? 0. Michael Norton's? 0. Ross Hannah, Matlock's goalscorer of seven against Bedworth United last month, looked deadly every time he rampaged further than I've seen any opposition striker rampage this season. Despite this, he went to bed hungry on Tuesday night. One rifled shot in the second half and one very well-placed free kick (remember when our free kicks were well-placed?) were well-saved by Hedge and we have a decent enough defense for Matlock to be unable to do their worst.

 
Our second goal was a quick-footed Deano tap-in from a second Vardy assist where our reflexes beat those of the Matlock defense, but a two-goal lead didn't last too long as Lee Morris got one from the other side. This turned the final 35 minutes into a contest between us trying to finish them off and Matlock finding an equaliser. Though there were very few shots in it, play darted back and forth. Matlock didn't do themselves favours though, as Lee Featherstone reacted to Vardy's hard tackle by stamping on his ribcage. He didn't seem to understand his strength as he was sent off, and walked back to the changing rooms with a big smirk on his face. From now on if you hear the words "Lee Featherstone" you should immediately think "a threat to all that's good in football." Don't let him get away.

Even this didn't kill off Matlock's desire though, and the final whistle came as a relief when further goals could have gone either way, 50/50. It's odd to get to a ground through tiny Peak District B roads but an interesting experience to see a close, fought contest again. Whether it was well-fought isn't quite clear. The Gladiators lived up to their nickname but we weren't exactly saints.

This result makes it 10 wins in a row for the Shaymen.  30 points in 59 days. We could field a team full of the bastard children of Tom Harban and Cameron Jerome and still stay clear of relegation, let's put it that way.

 The Shaymen are starting to work well on uneven pitches.

Matlock 1 – 2 Halifax Town; att. 549

Ground: 6/10

Pitch: 5/10
Programme: N/A
Talent: zilch

Non-partisan entertainment: 8/10 

Chasevillage 2 – 1 Halifax Town; 28/08/2010.

Chasevillage 2 – 1 Halifax Town; 28/08/2010.

My longest away day since Newcastle Blue Star. It's all going to end in tears.

I would've been very surprised if I were told this scoreline prior to the match rather than watch it unfold in such a brooding fashion. Being told it at half-time, I would be very upset with my team. That's what I am now.



On paper, Chasetown would be practically the easiest away day. Promoted through the play-offs in the clearly inferior southern NPL league can surely only mean a rebound back into the depths. A fate they were getting ready for in their first two defeats before the third game of the season, when we rudely got in the way and lost to them. They were what they were on paper.

Chasetown are a tight ship. They are one of those teams that gets a moment of fame through an excellent FA Cup run, ending with Cardiff City in the third round, 2400 somehow passing through the turnstiles two years ago. If I remember right, a similar number from Chasetown previously made it up to Boundary Park, where they held Oldham Athletic to a draw. I won't lie; I'm not sure if there are that many citizens in Chasetown. It is little but a road in the south Staffordshire green belt, the green belt being a reason why they haven't been able to build a stand higher than 4', with a ground nestled into a wood clearing, threatening their future as a team attracting 350 or so to most games. I've done my research and they've come a little way to get to that. The professed zone for "Unofficial Scholars' News," ChasetownFC on blogspot, reports a game with an attendance of 83 for a mid-August Midland Football Alliance game. The second entry comes midweek, reporting a Chasetown away victory with the tantalising words, "More to follow."

We have sat in anticipation for six years.



A tight, effective ship I continue. A flawless pitch, an "oh, just quickly build a few steps here and there and get it done with" approach to ground-building, and a hint towards the intelligentsia; Staffordshire appoints itself to be "The Creative County" and Chasetown "The Scholars." Not the kind of team for those among us who left school with two GCSEs. You need a 2:1 degree at a Russell-group university at least to make the XI here, which accounts for any lack of youth team.

The first half was like returning home for me. Exactly four months after the last league match. Town cracked Chasetown and by the 20th minute were powering through them, and the goalie was being given endless abuse. Bliss. A Taylor cross perfectly went to Metcalfe's powerful head, which hit it just over, before a little while later Metcalfe squared it to Taylor, and this time with such close-range, the ball only had one place to go. The Shane MacGowan lookalike had his first league goal down.



Not too clinical again, but 1–0 to us at half time. Satisfactory, with great performances up front. Our defense I couldn't see as at these bus stop grounds you have no vantage points for that, and to most supporters of bus stop teams that doesn't matter because they're only attending for a larf and the odd massive match when they play a team like us. Expect the Chase to lose their bank holiday game emphatically.

Then, in the changing rooms, the Chasetown chairman conducted a terrible experiment, where he swapped over the brains from our players with the brains from theirs. Out came a Town team that was unremarkable both individually and as a team, and a tough Chasetown side that magically won every 50-50 and every referee decision. There were a few cries for penalties for us; warranted ones that will have to go down to the highlights for us to tell him so, but ultimately we were shocking.



Now you won't beat anyone with two shots on target, or at least shouldn't expect to beat anyone. Aspin in Friday's 'paper spoke of being clinical and it didn't happen today. Do we really have the skill to put those opportunities away? I would like evidence on Monday.

Chasetown were in many ways tough when they came together, but should be more straightforward when they come to the Shay. I suspect they will be lost without the wind and cold and will be given a good hiding. I'm fairly certain of that. I hope I can be certain of that. If that's the toughest fight they can put into a game, then all we have to rely on is not playing as shambolic as today. Aspin I'm sure will know this, and his grilling is one of the most effective we can expect of a manager. His words imply that he strongly believes in a team that can not only hold it at this level, but be depended on to tear apart certain Black Country squads.



Early days I suppose, but a team missing five players, no matter how key as they were, shouldn't fall down when we have several signings from close season who act in the very least as strong reinforcements. Perhaps we should experiment with a strong XI as close as possible to last season's strongest XI?

On the grill they all go.

Chasetown 2 – 1 Halifax Town; att. 611 (looked like more?)
Ground: 2/10
Pitch: 10/10
Programme: N/A
Talent: 4/10 (fetching physio)
Non-partisan entertainment: 7/10

FC Halifax Town 4 – 0 Lancaster City; Sat 10th April 2010.

FC Halifax Town 4 – 0 Lancaster City; Sat 10th April 2010.

I had to take Night Nurse twice to get to sleep for two nights prior, and here it is—the very pinnacle of FC Halifax Town's existence thus far. Not that it were destined to be such (alternatively, it may have almost confirmed us going up via the playoffs), but most of even the loftiest predictions for Saturday's match managed to gaze above the end result.

What did we know? It was a battle between 2nd (us) and 1st (them), with two points separating it. It doesn't confirm a season, but it goes fairly far in telling us how the Unibond North runaways square up to one another.

So, it was 4–0, we're top now by a fragile point, and we managed to take in 3152 through the turnstiles. It was the highest crowd outside the league (luckily Luton, Oxford, Cambridge and Wimbledon weren't at home to pip it), and the 31st highest crowd in Saturday's pick of English football—all from a team in the eighth tier. That many for below sea level football, all spectators taking their places within two stands, means atmosphere. With me on accordion and another fan on drums that was what we had.

Not forgetting there were 22 people below us kicking a ball around too. The quality of play meant the woodwork fans would need good excuses to pass off watching us again. Many regulars took friends, exiles made the long trip, and some even wandered in out of interest. As a team, Lancaster were average and hadn't got us sussed at all. We, on the other hand, were on fire. All of our moves were given vocal encouragement and some of them were close calls. An early close-range effort was blasted over before Gregory opened it up within a few minutes. In the second half Fearon nearly spilled it into his own net. He took a scorching header towards the end very well, and another effort regretfully hit the bar. So another "We could've had seven or eight" again for many, though this time against a team that has won 13 on the trot; an opposition form you wouldn't want to take home to see your grandma.



On top of the bombarding of the Lancaster defense, three further goals pinned the Dolly Blues down. Payne's header near the end of the first half bounced 'twixt players but couldn't be stopped, then Deano and another from loan man Lee Gregory towards the end. Lancaster were everything I found them to be away at Woodley, which wasn't much at all. But this time Lancaster scuppered a chance of running away with it against their only rivals to the title; an awful move for their management. They played football, but they didn't play it very well. That seems to happen nine times out of ten when a team play football against us. The Lancaster striker Jordan Connerton, who has equalled our James Dean's tally, failed to break through the defense and add to his 38 or so in this season's campaign.

It was a performance that never petered out either end and I have no reason to rate it under 10/10, even were I a non-partisan. For passion, whichever team you backed, you weren't going to find a better venue this Saturday. I won't even mention the baseness of the Grand National . . . Many of the <100 Lancaster fans were still applauding their team several minutes after full-time, and the four goals each tested the crush barriers from my placing near the top of the South Stand. Sadly, it will always heat up a bit, especially in the biggest game we've had for a few years, and a nobber or two tried to pick a fight with the Lancaster fans, but there was nothing at all serious to report. I have to blame those in power for not imposing segregation when it was necessary and made complete sense.



Coming home I found out Shonen Knife are playing at the Brudenell Social Club in Leeds in May. Bloody perfect day, and well done for all of those extras lending support. I'm hoping 650 are now in the mind to find the Tameside on AA Route Planner this Monday for Curzon away, which will be a tougher match, nyerm, 1300+ in attendance for Radcliffe home this Thursday, and what, 850+ 'obbling to Ossett on Saturday. The fixtures are clogged, but if this 4–0 of all 4–0s doesn't snuff the apathy of Calderdale citizens and attract a few hundred more, nothing will.

This has been my proudest moment as a Shaymen and I have a feeling people won't come out with ridicule as often when they find out where my allegiance is. Having said that, I'd like to have a slightly calmer match next time! Most of us know that on Wednesday night, over five dying minutes we scored three away to Garforth Town to come out 3–4 victors and I'm becoming a mental wreck.

As per match reports away to Rossy and Garforth during the week, I'm afraid I've been in Scotland. They'll never be, unless on the off-chance someone wants to write them up for me.

Just perfect! Who needs female contact? See you at the Shay.



FC Halifax Town 4 – 0 Lancaster; att. 3512.
Non-partisan rating: 10/10
Top men: all

FC Halifax Town 1 – 0 Chorley; Fri 2nd April 2010.

FC Halifax Town 1 – 0 Chorley; Fri 2nd April 2010.

The two home games giving us light relief between six away fixtures over just a few weeks bear some light relief: Lancaster's next Saturday being the game of the season promises the second highest attendance to Wrexham's, one of the greatest atmospheres, and hopefully a performance our way that stretches beyond the great. Which it most likely will. And today's was Chorley, not the most immediately remarkable of features, but one historic occasion as the first time Town fans are allowed into the new East Stand.



Though we dawdled and missed the first minute, we were still in on the match entertainment. Within a few minutes a corner found Payne's goalie-stranding head and on the sixth minute, the game's only goal had been made, and the champagne broke against the new ship. The first half followed through as one of the nicest halves this footballing season, always going forward with balls, many corners, a good amount of noise and none of the Chorley attacks seeming threatening. Their goalkeeper did a hell of a lot to try and save them from then on. The execution again just about lacked, and the low balls on a very choppy surface, but everything was up to scratch considering level of opposition. I say it would've been one of the nicest half of the footballing season, but I stood there needing a wee for most of it. Town fans expected more of the same in the second half.



In fact, we dozed a little. We did realise this after a little while, and a few torturously close goalmouth scrambles ensued. By and large though, it was a half of balls being just too short and an unsatisfying follow-up half. At times when Hedge perfectly judged a header of theirs, and a couple of blats at the nets which he could only tip over, we were hanging from the thinnest sinews.



It was a tough one, but the second half remained a fairly 50–50 affair, but out of it both goalkeepers played a vital part for their club by not increasing the numbers on the other side, and either defense just about cut it. It wasn't the best for us to watch for 45 minutes, balls going a little short, play not all there, but as much as it failed to grab the game, it served its purpose. A less settling part of it was Phelan being a bit out of it, getting frustrated and reaching his tenth yellow, meaning he's out for Ossett and Radcliffe. Points in the bag there really, but you can't be too self-assured and our midfield's thin in numbers on the run-in.



To the stand-opening! Not as many occasional supporters came in as possibly hoped for, but a good lot to be proud of. Chorley had the good grace of bringing one of the biggest away busloads too, which is refreshing. They have to be one of my favoured teams in this league, with a relatively high support, a tendency to play football and one of the best looking grounds in the whole country. The East Stand is alright for legroom, nothing as cold as I imagined, and it felt awfully prestigious like, walking down the runway, looking up at all the fans. Three sides were open, again for the first time since Wrexham, with 30 or so of the hardcore Skircoat grumblies remaining there. Quite something to see the Skircoat as populated as it would be during a pre-season friendly at 3am on a Monday against Mold Alexandra. I'd divulge in that EMC company deciding to run our food stalls, but it wouldn't be pretty to read.



It's one of the greatest bricks in the wall of the new club, anyway. The next thing we need doing with is obviously the title, but for a fan who has only even seen the East Stand with people in it twice, over a decade ago now, today's game was good, but the new beginning made it great.



FC Halifax Town 1 – 0 Chorley; att. 1508.
Top men: Hedge, Lowe, Baker.

Seasonal affective disorder.

Seasonal affective disorder.

It is sad news indeed to announce in the Following the Shaymen HQ that Winter has been called back early to Northwich. We'll without a doubt be greatly missing his input.

I just don't see that this loss can affect us too badly. I'll miss the lad. The Phelan–Baker–Winter combo would be a tough one to reckon with in any Town formation in the past couple of decades. However, we can't let ourselves panic.

Before Winter came along we were the promotion force we've always been. By the close of the year our WDL record was still brilliant. We can't be completely lost from these heady days a few months ago. Despite the few that'll be available at this time too, Aspin is the one who'll look for talent to paste into the cracks. Northwich Victoria have their team on transfer list, and may be a good call to find another player (is Junior Brown still playing for them? Ha, ha, ha). Otherwise it'll be at least considered that we'll sign him.

For now, we still have Syko, who seemed a gem at the start of the season. In his few performances since he's been substandard, nutting a player and getting sent off within a few minutes of his return to the game from a broken arm. He could play deep a little while we get Baker to gang up on the goalie with Scott. Whatever way, if we harness our line-ups correctly, which Aspin will near doubtless do, we won't realise the potential points loss in Winter's return.



Still, this is JUST like waking up from a dream just before the really good bit.

The part where you're about to open that treasure chest.

The part where the sultry temptress (played by Carey Mulligan in this author's fantasy) goads you into your hotel room.

The part where you're sitting on a cloud with God, and upon asking him the meaning of life, he opens his mouth and says, "Well, Arthur . . ."

The part where Deano places the ball on the white spot 10 or so yards from the keeper, takes a long run up and fires home the fifth goal in front of thousands of Shaymen against Lancaster in April, sending us eight points clear on the top of the Unibond North.



Anyway, a third of the season to go, and if we keep it up, we'll end up on 99.0000001 points. Sound alright to you?