Corby were victim to a Halifax hit-back on Saturday, as the Shaymen beat the Steelmen 4-2 to claim revenge for their opening-day defeat.

Manager Graham Drury had predicted that his side would find themselves up against a much stronger outfit then the one they faced in August and his prophecy was proved correct.

Striker Danny Holland netted the Shaymen’s first, sliding in a zippy Lee Gregory cross. Holland then scored his second on the stroke of half-time, beating Chris Mackenzie to a Danny Lowe free-kick.

Lee Beeson pegged one back for the Steelmen, floating the ball past Simon Eastwood from all of eighteen yards. A flicker of hope was felt around Steel Park, but was quickly quashed by James Dean who nodded home Halifax’s third.

Jason St Juste made it four, before Jordan Smith grabbed a late consolation goal for the Steelmen, smashing home Beeson’s pin-point cross.

Early signs were ominous for the Steelmen, Halifax dominated from the off and were stroking the ball around Steel Park with aplomb. Ensuring they made their supremacy stick, they took the lead in the 17^th minute.

Liam Needham nipped the ball down the right flank, finding Lee Gregory in acres of space. Turning provider, Halifax’s top scorer zipped the ball into the six yard box and Holland, storming towards the near post, applied the finishing touch for the opening goal.

Stand-in skipper Chris Mackenzie was then called into action, reaching down to his right to save Gregory’s prod at goal, following a jinxing run into the box by Halifax’s top scorer.

A rare Corby attack saw Leon Hibbert flash an effort wide of Eastwood’s right-hand post, while at the other end Shayman captain Tom Baker’s long-range effort drifted just over the crossbar.

Finding themselves on the back-foot for the majority of the first-half, Corby would have been only too pleased to enter the break just a goal down, but it was not to be.

Darting into the box following a long Lowe free-kick, Holland beat Steelmen stopper Mackenzie to the ball and nodded home Halifax’s second two minutes before half-time.

Corby finally registered their first shot on target seconds after the restart. Jinxing his way into the Halifax box, Matt Rhead attempted to chip Simon Eastwood from an acute angle, but the Shayman stopper was equal to the effort.

Rhead was thwarted again moments later, Eastwood saving his side-footed attempt following some clever play by Hibbert on the edge of the box.

Atoning for his earlier error, Mackenzie somehow managed to palm away Jason St Juste’s close-range effort in the 70^th minute.

Thoughts of a Corby comeback began two minutes later, when Beeson reduced Halifax’s lead to just one goal. Finding space on the right, the midfielder forcefully drove his way into the Shaymen box. Then cutting back, guided the ball majestically into Eastwood’s top left-hand corner.

But Halifax responded in kind and restored their two-goal cushion by way of a James Dean header shortly afterwards following a swinging Baker free-kick in the 75^th minute.

Substitute Juste then rubbed salt in the wound, his inspired individual effort notching up Halifax’s forth of the afternoon. Picking the ball up in his own half, he strode into the Corby box before calmly slotting the ball past Mackenzie.

The Steelmen pulled another back before full-time, Jordan Smith coming off the bench to score his 8^th goal of the season. But by then Halifax had already won the match convincingly.

By Kelly Cornwell

Corby: Mackenzie; Hall, Malone, Gordon, McDonald; Hibbert (sub Spruce, 64 mins), Towers, Ozmen; Jones (sub Beeson, 56 mins), Rhead (sub Smith, 56 mins), Mullarkey. Subs not used: Tarry, Mayo.

FC Halifax: Eastwood; Ashworth, Hogan, Lowe, McManus; Baker (sub Toulson, 78 mins), Needham, Garner (sub St Juste, 63 mins); Dean, Holland (sub Foster, 84 mins), Gregory. Subs not used: Hardie, Senior.

Referee: Anthony Horton.

Goals: Holland (16 mins, 0-1), Holland (43 mins, 0-2), Beeson (72 mins, 1-2), Dean (74 mins, 1-3), St Juste (83 mins, 1-4), Smith (88 mins, 2-4).

Attendance: 739.