Memories of May 2006 will seem a long way away after Halifax Town went down to a 1 - 0 defeat at Grays Athletic courtesy of a second half goal from Aaron O'Connor.

The Grays midfielder scored after sixty six minutes after holding off Steve Haslam. His shot from 25 yards beat Mawson for the only goal of the game.

The home side started brightly, forcing the first corner of the game on 6 minutes. Stuart Thurgood's corner, which was conceded by Ryan Cresswell was cleared by a Chris Billy head, but only back to Stuart Thurgood. His cross from the left came close to fidgeting keeper Craig Mawson. On 8 minutes, a determined run by Grays winger Dennis Oli, direct at Greg Strong, allowed him space as he moved infield, and his shot from 18 yards was saved comfortably by Craig Mawson.

A minute later, a Town throw in on the right from Steve Haslam went back to Ryan Cresswell. His cross fell to Stamp on the edge of the box, who won his header well, but went well wide of the right hand post.

In the seventeenth minute, Danny Forrest found himself in a good position, before being fouled on the right hand side. Steve Torpey saw his resulting free kick cleared easily at the near post. A few minutes later, a long ball upfield fell kindly for Stamp, who hooked his shot over the bar.

Danger threatened again in the twenty ninth minute when Ryan Cresswell failed to clear a Grays ball from the right hand side allowing Aaron O'Connor to shoot wide on the left hand from twenty yards.

Town's best opportunity of the game came on the half hour mark, when Danny Forrest found himself in space on the right. His cross met with Stamp's head, who had beaten the Grays keeper with his jump. The header looked goal bound but it was cleared it off the line during the subsequent goal-mouth scuffle.

Nearing half time, a foul by Ryan Cresswell on the left led to a further Stuart Thurgood cross, but his effort was easily saved by Craig Mawson. Later, Steve Haslam's promising ball upfield was cleared, but only as far as Danny Forrest. He immediately turned, but his powerful shot went wide of the left hand post.

A 0 - 0 scoreline at half time meant that both teams had everything to play for in the second half.

Chris Wilder showed his intent with his first substitution of the day, bringing Lewis Killeen into the game, in exchange for the recently recovered Steve Torpey. It was not long afterwards that Darryn Stamp fouled a Grays player in the middle of the pitch. Their free kick was passed to Dennis Oli, who narrowly missed from close range.

On the hour mark, Tyrone Thompson made space, allowing him to pass the ball onto a waiting Darryn Stamp. His smooth pass to Danny Forrest raised hope amongst the travelling Town fans,  but Forrest was unable to return the ball into the box, instead seeing it scrambled to safety. Another goal attempt followed, Jake Wright's sticky boots ensuring he kept possession of the ball despite being dangerously close to the line. Wright was then able to pass to Tom Kearney, who occupied space in the box. His cross was met by Chris Billy's head, and the Town fans failed to understand how the ball drifted over the bar.

Despite their best efforts, this was to be Town's closest moment of the second half, as soon after this Grays took the lead in the sixty sixth minute, leaving an uphill struggle for Town who would now have to work hard to get something from the game.

Town responded by attacking down the right hand side, Danny Forrest finding Darryn Stamp, whose effort hit the goalkeeper before flying out for a corner. Tom Kearney's kick headed straight for the box, and after a scrabble in the box, the goalkeeper finally punched it away for another Town corner, which was less productive.

In a second substitution for Town, Chris Billy was replaced by Andy Campbell in the seventy third minute. Despite this attacking formation, Grays held possession. Their next notable effort was started by O'Connor, whose ball from the right found Nicholls waiting on the left hand side of the box. He tried to float the ball over Craig Mawson, but misjudged, and his shot went over the bar.

In the seventy eighth minute Danny Forrest was fouled on the edge of his box, giving Town a free kick. Whilst Grays constructed their 5 man wall, the kick was instead taken short, the ball finally landing at the feet of Tyrone Thompson. His shot from the edge of the box was beaten away by the goalkeeper.

A third substitution was made with 5 minutes remaining, when Matt Doughty replaced Greg Strong, leaving a 3 man defence as Town went looking for an equaliser. A Jake Wright throw in during the eighty seventh minute was headed down to Matt Doughty by Darryn Stamp. His cross found Danny Forrest at the edge of the box, who managed, under pressure, to get the ball to Lewis Killeen, but the keeper responded well to save the shot. A minute later a Steve Haslam throw in was headed by Darryn Stamp into Andy Campbell's reach but the keeper again denied Town an equaliser.

In the dying moments of the game, a Tom Kearney free kick picked out Ryan Cresswell at the far post. The Grays goalkeeper felt he had been fouled, but Ryan Cresswell was intent, and despite having his back to goal he managed a final shot for town, which flew above the bar.