The second team to qualify for this year’s National League playoff semi finals via the quarter finals has been confirmed this Tuesday evening.
FC Halifax Town and Chesterfield faced each other, with the winners of this knowing that they would go on to face Solihull Moors at the weekend.
Chesterfield finished 7th in the final stands, picking up points from their 44 matches, while Halifax finished 4th, 10 points above their opponents in this fixture.
The Shaymen won 25, drew nine and lost 10 of their 44 matches during the regular National League campaign to collect 84 points, which left them in fourth spot in the table, three points behind third-placed Solihull Moors, who are already in the semi-finals of the playoffs alongside Wrexham (who will face Grimsby after they beat Notts County on Monday).
Halifax will be wanting to get into the EFL having spent the last five seasons in the National League following their promotion from the National League North.
Pete Wild’s side go into this contest off the back of a 2-0 defeat at Stockport County on the 15th of May, which followed a 1-1 draw with Aldershot Town in their last home fixture.
Chesterfield, meanwhile, have had the last four seasons in the National League following their relegation from the fourth tier at the end of 2017-18.
They only just managed to sneak into the playoff spots this season, picking up 74 points from their 44 matches, which left them one point clear of eight-place Dagenham & Redbridge.
Chesterfield don’t go into this match in the best of form, meanwhile, having picked up just one point from their final four league matches of the season, which was a goalless draw at home to Woking last weekend.
They lost to Bromley, Stockport County and Torquay United in the latter stages of the regular season, with their last win a month ago at home to Dover Athletic.
Chesterfield had the fifth-best away record in the 2021-22 National League, picking up 34 points from 22 matches, but they will be taking on a Halifax outfit with the strongest home record last term, having earned themselves 53 points from their 22 games in front of their own fans.
Right then, time to see how the game played out…
2′ | Jeff King gets down the right-hand side and cuts the ball to Liam Mandeville on the edge of the box who fires an effort wide.
2′ | Jeff King gets down the right-hand side and cuts the ball to Liam Mandeville on the edge of the box who fires an effort wide.
11′ | Chesterfield have a corner. The corner is taken into the box by Jeff King and headed out by Tyrell Warren for another.
12′ | Chesterfield’s second corner results in a shot from the edge of the box which Danny Rowe blocks wide.
12′ | Chesterfield’s second corner results in a shot from the edge of the box which Danny Rowe blocks wide.
17′ | Town have a corner! Harvey Gilmour swings the corner into the box where it’s headed down by Jesse Debrah before Matt Warburton has a shot blocked out of the box. Only as far as Martin Woods as he has an effort wide.
19′ GOAL | Chesterfield Danny Rowe scores from a corner. Danny Rowe gets on the end of King’s corner and fires his header into the top corner!
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Play Off | Halifax Town vs ChesterfieldGGGOOOAAALLL
Danny Rowe (19′)Halifax Town 0 – CHESTERFIELD 1
Image Credits: BT Sport pic.twitter.com/8DunuMDVo1— 🇬🇧🇺🇦 VWH Portsmouth | Solidarity with Ukraine (@VWHPortsmouth) May 24, 2022
#Spireites at #FCHT pic.twitter.com/YmeojA35Fa
— Frank BCAFC (@PargeyBCAFC) May 24, 2022
27′ | Calvin Miller is struggling after taking a big blow to the leg, he’s still on the pitch and is trying to run it off but it visibly struggling. Hopefully he can get past it as he’s been the best player on the pitch so far.
31′ | YELLOW CARD Danny Rowe has been booked for a bad challenge on Martin Woods. However, Chesterfield are unhappy with the referee who didn’t give a foul in the build-up.
32′ | A Halifax free-kick in the own half is pumped up field by Sam Johnson to Jesse Debrah who made the run forward. Debrah headed it on to find the run of Billy Waters who fires a shot wide from inside the box.
34′ | YELLOW CARD Liam Mandeville is lucky to be still on the pitch after a terrible tackle on Jack Senior. His studs showing.
42′ | Halifax are gaining some momentum
45 + 1′ | Martin Woods takes a free-kick into the box which Niall Maher heads on goal, but the linesman flags and now Chesterfield have a free-kick.
HT | The Spireites have a well deserved lead going into the break.
47′ | Billy Waters gets down the right and plays the ball into the box where Jack Senior has two attempts, the first is blocked and the second goes wide.
47′ | Billy Waters gets down the right and plays the ball into the box where Jack Senior has two attempts, the first is blocked and the second goes wide.
62′ | Liam Mandeville has a shot from inside the box which Sam Johnson captures.
66′ GOAL |2-0 Chesterfield. King breaks down the right and smashes his shot into the top corner
69′ | GOAL | Halifax get one back as Matt Stenson gets his first goal for the club, poking home at the back post after a great cross from Waters.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Play Off | Halifax Town vs ChesterfieldGGGOOOAAAALLL
Jeff King (66′)Halifax Town 0 – CHESTERFIELD 2
Image Credits: BT Sport pic.twitter.com/cBeh0EyvJA— 🇬🇧🇺🇦 VWH Portsmouth | Solidarity with Ukraine (@VWHPortsmouth) May 24, 2022
74′ | The attendance has been announced as 5,661 (2,063 away)
84′ | YELLOW CARD. Tom Whelan has been booked for pushing Matt Warburton.
86′ | YELLOW CARD. Alex Whittle has been booked.
90 + 5′ | A ball into the box reaches Zak Dearnley who drags an effort wide.
FULL TIME | Chesterfield have knocked Halifax out of the playoffs and set up a semi final tie with Solihull
The National League playoff semi finals:
🔸Saturday 28th May:
Wrexham v Grimsby Town
🔸Sunday 29th May:
Solihull Moors v Chesterfield
The final will take place on Sunday 5th June at the London Stadium.
The Spireites are through to the play-off semi-finals!
Paul Cook’s @ChesterfieldFC do a job on Halifax in their own ground…
Play-off football is the best, what a game! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/Kuf0EgjMtG
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) May 24, 2022
FULL TIME!!
CHESTERFIELD WIN 2-1!!!
I BELIEVE THIS IS WHAT THEY CALL…LIMBS! #Spireites pic.twitter.com/A5vo3fIIxf
— NorthDerbyshireRadio (@NorthDerbsRadio) May 24, 2022
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Play Off | Halifax Town vs ChesterfieldFULL TIME#HalifaxTown 1 (Matty Stenson 68′)#Chesterfield 2 (Danny Rowe 19′, Jeff King 66′)#NationalLeague #PlayOff #HFXCHF (#HALCHE) #FullTime
Image Credits: BT Sport pic.twitter.com/sMEDrKAkfi
— 🇬🇧🇺🇦 VWH Portsmouth | Solidarity with Ukraine (@VWHPortsmouth) May 24, 2022
2-1 win to Chesterfield, never in doubt, thanks for listening. pic.twitter.com/CYNtWumYjI
— Retep Retals (@retalsp) May 24, 2022
Twitter users reacted with the second team to qualify for National League playoff semi finals via the quarter finals confirmed…
ON CHESTERFIELD
@DextersDesciple: Well fuck me. Cook did say football was a funny game. Well done lads. The best we’ve played in a long time. Do we dare hope?
@CarlCappellano: 👏👏👏👏👏
@ShipleyMike: Never in doubt 😂
@JoeDart22161245: Can we start believing now please 😜. Great performance and deserved win!
@GinaSpireite: Yeeaahh!!! So proud of each and everyone one of you Absolutely brilliant!!!!! 💙👏👏👏👏👏👏👏 #daretodream
@NotHopeium: Fair play from a neutral, definitely the better team overall
@rumsby_glenis: Pinch me I’m dreaming COYB 💙💙💙💙
@Newaccount625: This is how we should of been playing for the last few months
@neilvparkinson: Brilliant performance Spireites 👏 👌
@llewelly27: Awesome performance. Tactically spot on. Everyone did their jobs. Well done all.
@SpireiteP: To a man we held strong ,at times played as a team, and got just rewards that was for the fans, bring on Solihull bring on the belief ,COYB
ON HALIFAX
@Lucaasbarron04: should be renamed play off bottle jobs
@PaulHoward22: Great season, rest up and go again but harder 💪🏼
@StuartAkister: Hope the fans gave Wild the send off he deserves after the game before he joins football league giants
@BrandonGMorton1: Of all the games to put in a performance like that. We didn’t deserve anything from that game.
@CallumH28610831: First time watching yous 10 unbeaten at home I don’t know how that midfield is horrible couldn’t pass 2 yards too each other
@swoz0810: A good season on what is a small budget but once again it means nothing. Someone needs to buy the club or a large investment made as its becoming a joke. Still can’t even finish the corner of the ground yet either
@StephenRushton2: Disappointing end to a great season. Just hope the vast majority of the team stays so we can go again and succeed next season
@StatthewMambach: Shame that, I was hoping Halifax would go far. Good club, well run. Good luck next season
@AMcdougall19: Excellent effort this season, proper community football club and one of my favourite away days, Go in with attitude next season and I’m sure you’ll be in the mix again next season
@Jimmyhatton1: Bitter end to season most of us didn’t expect, all the best to Pete Wild should he leave. Done a fantastic job with a barebones squad at the start of the season and a tight budget.
@RossHeslop91: Disappointing end to a superb season. Key moments have been the return to parent clubs of Vale and Newby, just haven’t been able to replace with anywhere near the same quality. Up the Shaymen 💙🔵⚪️
@AdamPro_Actor: So flat – Typical Halifax Town at it again. We had nothing to beat tonight and simply didn’t ask enough questions. Amazing season pound for pound with other teams just so disappointing.

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