REPORT | HALIFAX TOWN 2-2 WEALDSTONE

Wealdstone come away with a point after a drama filled 90 minutes at the Shay Stadium.

Sam Ashford opened the scoring in the 34th minute, when he converted a penalty, won by a scything challenge in the box in Micah Obiero.

Florent Hoti equalised from the spot just after the break when Enzio Boldewijn was deemed to have given a foul away inside the area.

Obiero was on hand to put the Stones back in the lead when he hit a cheeky effort into the near post from range, on 61 minutes.

Adrian Mariappa was sent off by the referee in the 72nd minute after he was shown a second yellow card.

The last 20 minutes then provided a real test of resilience for the Stones, who came ever so close to seeing out the game, but having kept the ball out of the net for so long, suffered an 89th minute equaliser at the hands of substitute Tom Pugh.

Matt Taylor made only two changes to the side that drew with Southend United in midweek. Alex Dyer and Mason Barrett came into the side for Christian Scott and the suspended Jack Cook.

The hosts started the game brighter out of the two sides. Mariappa was given his first yellow card just three minutes into the game after bringing down Billy Waters, on the break.

A succession of long-shots for the hosts, flew over and wide of Sam Howes goal, before Ashford had the Stones first chance of the half, 11 minutes in, when he tested Sam Johnson from the edge of the area.

Taylor's side grew into the game as the half grew on, and were rewarded for their pressure, 34 minutes in when Obiero looked to go one-on-one, but was brought down in the area to win a penalty, converted by Ashford, for his second goal of the season.

Halifax Town came out for the second rejuvenated, bearing down on the Stones goal for the opening five minutes of the half.

A chance to level the scores came in the 51st minute when Boldewijn was deemed by the referee to have taken out his man, after a strong challenge came in on the ball, inside the area. Hoti was on hand to convert the penalty.

Not letting the hosts goal affect them, the Stones looked to hit back straight away. Boldewijn layed the ball off the Obiero, on the edge of the area, 61 minutes in, who hit a deflected effort into the side netting to put Wealdstone ahead once again.

A huge talking point came in the 72nd minute when Mariappa was given his second yellow card of the game, and subsequently a red card, after going in firm on a challenge on the Halifax Town midfielder.

The home side ramped up the pressure for the final 20 minutes, knowing they had been presented with a golden opportunity to level the game.

Substitutes Pugh and Jamie Cooke both had efforts crash off the bar, before the aforementioned player final broke the Stones resilience in the 90th minute, bringing the game level.

The Stones held on for the seven minutes added on, before Jaydn Mundle-Smith was also given his marching orders by the referee for dissent, after the full-time whistle had blown.

The Stones go into another busy week, facing Southampton U21s in the first ever National League Cup game on Tuesday at 19:00pm before travelling to Gateshead on Saturday at 15:00pm.

WEALDSTONE: Howes (GK), Barrett (Mason 72'), Mariappa, Mundle-Smith, Thorpe (Georgiou 86'), Dyer, Wells-Morrison, Boldewijn, Obiero (Hutchinson 83'), Ashford (Cesay 79'), McFarlane.

Unused subs: Adams, Scott, Sandat

ATTENDANCE: 1442 (97 Stones fans)