Sugden got his second and third goals of the season

Ryan Sugden started his first home game for 5 months following a stomach injury and left the field on 78 minutes to a standing ovation after his 2 goals sent fellow play off hopefuls Exeter City packing from The Shay.

Sugden will rightly take the plaudits but this was a battling team effort that restricted a direct Exeter team to little in the way of chances such was the dominance of The Shaymen.

Jones was beaten twice by Sugden

It took Sugden less than 5 minutes to fire Town into the lead. Greg Young's free kick was touched on by Steve Bushell and Sugden pounced with a low shot from 12 yards that gave visiting keeper Paul Jones no chance. The lead was almost doubled on 17 minutes when Matt Doughty's in swinging free kick was headed goal bound by who else but Sugden and he was denied by a splendid finger tip save from Jones.

Exeter's threat was from Jake Edwards and Matthew Gill's long throws but Quinn and Young repelled the Grecians time after time.

Town eventually doubled the lead on 38 minutes. Neat play by Justin Bowler allowed Doughty to deliver a teasing cross onto Sugden's head and the striker duly netted his 3^rd goal of the season. Exeter's defence protested for offside but the right back clearly played the Town attack onside.

Doughty's quality crosses from the left touchline were causing the visitors countless problems and only quick thinking from Jones prevented Lewis Killeen stealing in for a 3^rd goal minutes before the break. The half ended with Brian Smikle being clearly fouled on the edge of the box but this was astonishingly missed by the officials and Steve Bushell received a yellow card for a foul.

Quinn headed a Doughty free kick wide as The Shaymen stared the second half as the ended the first. A concerted spell of pressure just before the hour mark almost produced a 3^rd goal but resolute defending kept Killeen out before Sugden almost completed his hat-trick but his left foot shot after a superb turn was smartly saved low to his left by Jones.

Kennedy kept his second clean sheet for Town

Exeter's threat was aerial but Jon Kennedy's neat handling coupled with the dominance of the Town rearguard ensured no clear cut chances were created. In fact Town posed the greater goal threat and could have sealed a bigger victory when substitute John Grant fed fellow replacement Danny Forrest but he was unable to beat Jones.

Tyrone Thompson received an injury time yellow card for his involvement in a melee but this won't take the gloss off the 11^th home victory of the season that sees Chris Wilder's men secure 3 points towards a play-off spot. On this form no one will look forward to playing Halifax Town. Roll on Cambridge.

Match Report by Andy.

What did you think to today's performance and result. Let us know on the official Halifax Town messageboard.

1	Jon Kennedy			:			Paul Jones	27
2	Steven Haslam			:			Dean Moxey	21
5	Adam Quinn			:	51		Matthew Gill	15
16	Greg Young		84	:			Chris Todd	6
3	Matthew Doughty			:			Gary Sawyer	4
23	Justin Bowler		54	:	51		Jamie Mackie	12
4	Steve Bushell			:			Andrew Taylor	7
25	Brian Smickle			:			Paul Buckle	18
18	Tyrone Thompson			:			Glenn Cronin	8
10	Lewis Killeen			:			Dan Woodards	25
11	Ryan Sugden		78	:	58		Jake Edwards	19
20	John Grant		78	:	51		Craig Farrell	9
19	Peter Atherton		84	:			Santos Gaia	5
17	Wayne Jacobs			:	51		Jon Challinor	10
15	Chris Senior			:	58		Steve Flack	14
26	Danny Forrest		54	:			Martin Rice	1

Goal Attempts	5	:	4	Goal Attempts
On Target	4	:	1	On Target
Crosses	4	:	4	Crosses
Corners	5	:	2	Corners
Offside	8	:	6	Offside
Fouls	16	:	13	Fouls
Free kicks	21	:	24	Free kicks
Yellow cards	2	:	2	Yellow cards
Red cards	-	:	-	Red cards
% Possession	48	:	52	Possession %