Following the conclusion of their home double-header, Aldershot Town travel to West Yorkshire this Saturday, 27th September in order to face FC Halifax Town at the Shay Stadium. While this 235-mile journey may seem eye-watering without context, astonishingly – having travelled to Gateshead, Carlisle and Truro in the last 30 days – it marks the closest away journey in over a month.
Much like the Shots, FC Halifax Town exists as a phoenix club, born after Halifax Town A.F.C went into administration in 2008. It took the club just five years for the club to reach step-one, where they have stayed with little exception since. Finishing 6th in last year’s National League, their fourth play-off berth in six years, ‘the Shaymen’ will be looking to finally achieve promotion to the Football League this term, a status that their predecessors held for the majority of the 20th century.
With 15 points, the Shaymen find themselves entering the tie occupying 11th place in the Enterprise National League table.
RECENT LEAGUE FORM
While a so-so start to September saw the club winless in three in the league, the Yorkshire side return home after two impressive victories on the road, beating Gateshead and Morecambe to earn six points in the space of five days.
- 24/09/25 – Morecambe 1-2 FC Halifax Town (Hmami, Bray)
- 20/09/25 – Gateshead 1-2 FC Halifax Town (Turner-Cooke, Kawa)
- 13/08/25 – FC Halifax Town 2-2 Eastleigh (Devonport, Latty-Fairweather)
- 06/09/25 – Southend United 3-0 FC Halifax Town
- 03/09/25 – FC Halifax Town 1-1 Woking (Hmami)
Despite a wealth of open play chances for either side, a penalty apiece would define a frustrating home tie against Woking, before a pair of yellow cards for Adam Alimi-Adetoro in Essex made an already difficult outing against Southend United a near-impossibility. Despite holding the Shrimpers to just a 1-0 lead approaching the end of regular time, late headers from Gus Scott-Morriss and Ben Goodliffe cemented the Shaymen’s joint-heaviest defeat of the campaign to date.
Following a victory against Middlesbrough U21 in the National League Cup, a home fixture against Eastleigh looked to be heading for further defeat, with the Spitfires taking a 2-0 lead into the 80th minute. However, two close-range finishes from Owen Devonport and Thierry Latty-Fairweather saved the side’s blushes.
A period of frustration would soon end, however, as positive results either side of the northern coast occurred in quick succession. Following torrential rainfall, a sodden playing field presumably contributed to what was a poorly disciplined first-half that saw three penalties awarded. Josh Hmami’s saved spotkick looked to have proved costly after Kain Adom converted at the other end, though Jay Turner-Cooke made no mistake on the 37th minute, leaving the sides level at the break. On the hour mark, 21-year-old David Kawa scored his third goal of the new season from an energetic Shaymen counter attack, sending the visitors into a 2-1 lead that would hold out for the remainder of the afternoon.
They would once again come from behind to win on Wednesday, as second-half strikes from Josh Hmami and Owen Bray against Morecambe earned a second 2-1 away victory of the week.
IN THE DUGOUT
Following the departure of Chris Millington in the summer, National League North specialist – and Tommy Widdrinton’s long-term successor at King’s Lynn – Adam Lakeland joined up with the Shaymen in July for what would be the 40-year-old’s first step-one role.
Opting for coaching at a young age, Lancashire-born Lakeland’s first foray into management saw him in charge of FA Women’s Premier League (Now WSL) side Blackburn Rovers in November 2006, aged just 22. He would stay with the Riversiders for over four years, before turning to men’s football with an assistant manager role at then-eighth-tier Curzon Ashton, where seemingly immediate impact saw him help the side in achieving two successive promotions that saw ‘the Nash’ reach step-two for the very first time.
Attempting to repeat the feat – though this time as number one – he joined Northwich Victoria in January 2016, soon leading the Vics to a top-three finish, though the resulting play-off final at the home of second place Spennymoor Town went the way of the hosts. A further role at Farsley Celtic began the following summer, with his crowning achievement arriving in 2018/19, leading the young club to the Northern Premier League title.
It was this promotion that began an extended stay in the National League North, which saw Lakeland present for 244 matches in the division across spells with Farlsey Celtic, Curzon Ashton and King’s Lynn.
While his point-per-game in the sixth-tier stands at just 1.39, it is largely accepted that Lakeland is a highly capable and experienced young manager who excels in resourcefulness, regularly configuring well-oiled squads that play better than the sum of their parts.
PLAYED FOR BOTH
| Aldershot Town | Hartlepool United | |||||
| Player | Joined | Appearances | Goals | Joined | Appearances | Goals |
| Sean McGinty | 2014 | 39 | 1 | 2014 | 2 | 0 |
| Marlon Jackson | 2009 | 31 | 1 | 2013 | 14 | 0 |
| Gerry McDonagh | 2018 | 13 | 0 | 2021 | 13 | 1 |
| Adam Smith | 2011 | 12 | 0 | 2013 | 81 | 4 |
| Tahvon Campbell | 2022 | 9 | 3 | 2020 | 15 | 1 |
MATCH HISTORY AND LAST TIME OUT
While the lineage of two phoenix can be confusing, the two sides first met in their current iterations in the Football Conference in 2013, with both sides returning to the fifth-tier that season. In an afternoon to forget for the Shots, the hosts came out 4-0 winners in a cold November meeting.
Since then, the clubs have contested a further 21 times, with honours largely even.
Games played: 22
Aldershot wins: 8
Halifax wins: 9
Draws: 5
Aggregate score: 26-30
Record Shots victory: 5-1 (2022)
Record Halifax victory: 4-0 (2013)
Of course, this doesn’t tell the whole story, as including the history of the clubs’ predecessors, the sides have met a whopping 78 times since a first ever clash in 1963. This rich history makes them Aldershot’s second-most frequent historical opponents among teams in this year’s National League.
The sides last met in December 2024, where a breathless seven-goal encounter finished 4-3 to the Shaymen at the EBB. The last meeting in West Yorkshire, however, proved positive for the Shots as an immaculate Josh Barrett opener in the third minute of the match was enough to claim all three points on the day.
TICKET INFO
Tickets for the Shots’ trip to the Shay Stadium on Saturday, 27th September can only be bought on the gate.
These tickets will be available for purchase upon entry into the stadium at turnstile 15, located in the East Stand. Please note all tickets must be purchased with cash and there is no card payment option available on the turnstile.
Ticket prices are as follows:
ADULT – £24
CONCESSION – £20
12-17 – £10
UNDER 12s – £5
*Disabled supporters pay admission prices as per their relevant age group. A carer, if required, is admitted free of charge. Please go to Reception for assistance.
IF YOU CAN’T MAKE IT
Live updates will be available from our social media platforms X (@OfficialShots), Instagram (@aldershottownfcofficial), and Facebook. After the game, highlights will be available on our YouTube channel.
The game can be streamed to overseas viewers via DAZN’s National League TV coverage. Click HERE to purchase a match pass.
There will be live commentary of the game provided by BBC Radio Surrey – listen online HERE
