MATCH VERDICT: FC Halifax Town 1-2 Torquay

Jamie Allen had cancelled out Asa Hall's first-half opener, but Connor Lemonheigh-Evans' strike with seven minutes remaining swung it Torquay's way.

Halifax again had to recover ground after a slow start, but did improve after the restart and the game could have gone either way before The Gulls' winner.

The league table isn't getting any better to look at the opening weeks of the season go by for Town, who again showed fight and determination to get back into the game, and pushed the leaders all the way.

But The Shaymen have to start winning soon.

Torquay had scored in every game so far this season, and maintained that record when a poor header by Neill Byrne was pounced on, and with Byrne and Niall Maher out of position down the Town right, winger Ben Whitfield had time to pick out Hall, who finished well from near the penalty spot.

Lemonheigh-Evans and Kieran Green had both had shots saved prior to that, but Torquay started the better side and deserved their lead.

Town were rushed and wasteful in possession, losing the ball too cheaply both in promising attacking areas and dangerous defensive ones, like for Torquay's goal.

Again, the service to Allen and Jake Hyde was lacking, with just one cross through the box from near the byline, coming from Allen but too far ahead of his strike partner.

It wasn't sticking up-front for Town, with most passes up field either coming straight back or hoovered up by the Torquay defence.

Torquay were first to the 50-50's and second balls, and took most of their corners and throw-ins quickly, emphasising an aggressiveness and confidence to their game that Town didn't seem to possess.

The Gulls could have had a second when a shot by Hall flashed just wide of Johnson's post after half-an-hour.

The Shaymen did start to make inroads as the opening half went on though, with Allen again their best threat.

"Go for goal!", shouted Pete Wild, again watching the first half sitting in the East Stand, as Allen bore down on the keeper, albeit at an angle, but the forward opted to cut the ball back rather than shoot, and the ball was cleared.

Shortly afterwards, Hyde nodded down Luke Summerfield's floated cross, but Green was beaten to it by keeper Shaun MacDonald.

A corner fell kindly to Allen on the edge of the box minutes later, but the Town striker miscontrolled it and then lost possession, neatly summing up his team's half.

Torquay were playing with the confidence of a side top of the league, but Town brought a lot of their problems on themselves through sloppy, disjointed play and failing to build any sustained pressure.

Summerfield again displayed his range of passing in midfield, with Green ahead of him also effective in getting on the ball in good areas, but Torquay found it far easier to reach the Town goal than Halifax did to reach theirs.

But The Shaymen were rewarded for a better start to the second half when Allen again found the net.

There was more urgency, more energy and more life about Town since the restart, and Allen, like he did on Tuesday night, kept his cool one-on-one with the keeper after a Hyde flick-on and a slip from a Torquay defender.

Only some desperate Town defending then prevented top-scorer Danny Wright from putting The Gulls back in-front with a back post header.

Torquay went up a gear in response, as you'd expect from a side top of the pile.

There was a big let off for The Shaymen when Wright blazed a spot-kick over the bar after a foul by Tom Bradbury on the dangerous Aaron Nemane.

Despite the setback, Torquay didn't let up and still attacked, still pressed forward and still sought a winner.

Pete Wild talked ahead of the fame of Town going toe-to-toe with Torquay, and they were, as Niall Maher and Bradbury both went close as Halifax started to build a bit of momentum.

But Lemonheigh-Evans blasted the Gulls back in-front with a thunderbolt across goal from 15 yards.

This time, there was no last-gasp equaliser from Town.

Halifax: Johnson, Byrne, Clarke, Bradbury, Maher (Nepomuceno 84), Summerfield, Woods, Senior, Green (Earing 65), Hyde, Allen. Subs not used: Davison-Hale, Tear, Danns.

Scorer: Allen (53)

Shots on target: 4

Shots off target: 7

Corners: 7

Torquay: MacDonald, Wynter, Sherring, Cameron, Warren, Nemane, Hall, Waters (Umerah 75), Whitfield, Lemonheigh-Evans, Wright (Andrews 87). Subs not used: Kerr, Price, Covolan.

Scorers: Hall (17), Lemonheigh-Evans (83)

Shots on target: 6

Shots off target: 9

Corners: 8

Referee: Simon Mather

Town man of the match: Jamie Allen - was again Town's best attacking threat and took his goal very well.