A goal in the last minute of normal time prevented Harrogate gaining their first victory of 2019.
Simon Weaver rang the changes after Saturday’s defeat to AFC Fylde, with George Thomson, Ryan Fallowfield, Mark Beck and Jack Emmett all recalled to the starting line up.
Indeed, Beck should have given Town the lead inside the first ten seconds when he broke through the Halifax defence, but his shot rebounded off keeper Sam Johnson’s legs.
However, Town only had to wait until the sixth minute to take the lead.Josh Falkingham found Lloyd Kerry in midfield and his superb crossfield ball dispatched Thomson down the right and his deep cross to the far post sailed over Johnson for the opener.
The Shaymen appeared completely out of sorts and Thomson almost doubled the lead when he flicked Emmett’s low cross goalwards, but Johnson saved at the foot of the post.
It took Halifax almost half an hour to threaten James Belshaw’s goal when Matty Kosylo sent Jordan Preston down the left and he cut in to blast the ball well over the bar.
Although Harrogate finished the half well on top, they still had only the single goal to show for their efforts.
A scrappy start to the second period saw neither side able to mount a serious attack and most of the play was confined to midfield.
Midway through the half, the Shaymen began to ramp up the pressure and Ben Tomlinson fired into the side netting, before soon afterwards a well struck free kick from the other side just missed the target.
Town, meanwhile, made several excursions into the Halifax area, but their tendency to dwell on the ball gave the home defenders time to smother their attacks.
Even so, it looked as though they would hold out for a precious win, but Halifax had other ideas.
A dangerous run from Niall Maher saw him curl a shot just wide of the upright, then as the final whistle beckoned, the Shaymen forced a series of corners.
As the match moved into stoppage time, sub Jonathan Edwards, fired in a low shot which was deflected past Belshaw for the equaliser.
Town
Belshaw, Fallowfield, Falkingham, Howe, Burrell.Thomson, Emmett, Beck, Leesley(Muldoon 84), Langmead, Kerry.
Unused subs, Cracknell, Williams, Lees, Woods.
Scorer, Thomson 6. Booked Falkingham Att.1696
F C Halifax
Johnson, Sellers, Clarke, Brown, Kosylo, Southwell(Edwards 78), Tomlinson, Preston, Ferry, Maher, Hanson.
Unused subs, Rowley, Duckworth, Staunton, Odelusi.
Scorer.Edwards 90 Booked Maher
Referee J Johnson
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