FC Halifax Town's pursuit of a fifth straight unbeaten game ended in a 2-1 defeat at Worthing on Saturday. The Shaymen fought back from an early deficit but a late red card for substitute Dylan Crowe left them hanging on with ten men.
Joe Cook gave the hosts a seventh-minute lead, nodding in a Jordan Young cross. Halifax responded well and were level nine minutes later when William Hugill finished from a Brad Tollitt assist. Parity was short-lived, however, as Young restored Worthing's lead six minutes before the interval.
Manager John McGrath made a triple substitution in the second half to chase the game, but the task grew harder when Crowe, who had come on at half-time, was shown a straight red card by referee Dan Blades for a challenge from behind just outside the box. The dismissal with 30 minutes remaining left Halifax exposed to late pressure, with Worthing's Ricky Aguiar hitting the crossbar from a free-kick.
The result leaves Halifax 14th in the National League table with 13 points from 10 games, halting a run of three wins and a draw. They must now regroup quickly for a home fixture against Boston United this Tuesday.
