Goalless draw for The Shaymen at home to ten-man Gateshead

Ninety-nine days on from Wembley, there wasn't much to separate the sides again here. Only three shots on target all game told its own story.

Gateshead were the better side until their sending-off in the second-half, after which Town failed to really take advantage and failed to build on their positive point at Solihull Moors.

It's still been a much better first month than last season for The Shaymen, but it could have been better still.

Aidan Rutledge had a shot saved by Sam Johnson three minutes in, but that was as close as either team came to scoring for the rest of the opening half.

Town's front three were screening in-front Gateshead's two holding midfielders - Greg Olley and Ed Francis - to prevent them from instigating attacks.

As a result, the visitors had to try and find other routes upfield, usually out wide, with right wing-back Thomas Allan heavily involved.

Gateshead were dictating the game in open play, seeing far more of the ball, but Halifax's effectiveness out of possession at least stopped them causing much damage.

It was The Shaymen's effectiveness in possession that was more of an issue.

The home side were ragged on the ball, repeatedly wasting opportunities to build an attack by launching long balls forward or launch a counter-attack having won the ball in midfield, mainly through the industrious Jack Evans.

Mistakes were forced, but not punished.

On total passes and touches of the ball, Gateshead were bossing it.

The Heed got into some promising positions in the final third, but either lacked the quality to create an opening or were thwarted by good, sometimes rather desperate, Halifax defending.

Aaron Cosgrave, one of two changes along with Evans, isolated 34-year-old Carl Magnay for the first time ten minutes before the break, and his pace drew a foul that saw the defender, who was taken off soon afterwards, booked.

It was just a shame that hadn't happened more.

Cosgrave's greater mobility and athleticism seemed to have got him the nod ahead of Rob Harker, but he, Jamie Cooke and Andrew Oluwabori spent more time chasing passes around the Gateshead defence than on the ball themselves.

Some of the home fans' frustrations peaked when goalkeeper Archie Mair had his foot on the ball for around 10 seconds, with Halifax's front three reluctant to press him.

They should have watched the video of the FA Trophy final back to see the benefit of closing down a Gateshead goalkeeper.

It has been more like a chess match than a football match at times.

There was a bit more purpose to Town's attacks after half-time but it remained a nip-and-tuck contest with little between the teams.

Jo Cummings nearly got his second in two games with a header that Archie Mair tipped over - his first save of the game an hour in.

Luke Hannant was then sent-off for a second booking after fouling Tylor Golden, not for the first time in the game.

You sensed momentum was shifting.

It was a more even game now, The Heed's prolonged spells on the ball had disappeared and there was more space for Halifax to play in, but chances remained scant.

Town hadn't got into a rhythm all game and it proved difficult to summon it late in the match.

Halifax: Johnson, Senior, Cummings, Stott, Golden, Hunter (Summerfield 77), Evans, Cappello, Cooke (Wright 61), Oluwabori, Cosgrave (Harker 61). Subs not used: Keane, Galvin.

Shots on target: 2

Shots off target: 5

Corners: 8

Gateshead: Mair, Tinkler, Magnay (Richardson 39), Grayson, Hannant, Allan (Hunter 78), Francis, Olley, Wearne, Chadwick, Rutledge (Dinanga 85). Subs not used: Booty, McBride

Shots on target: 1

Shots off target: 5

Corners: 2

Attendance: 1,946 (231 away)

Referee: Stuart Morland

Town man of the match: Jack Evans. Worked as hard as anyone in a blue shirt, repeatedly winning the ball back in midfield and doing the dirty work of filling gaps and tracking runners.