MATCH VERDICT: FC Halifax Town 1-1 Notts County

Eli Sam's early goal looked to have been enough to seal a win for County, but Allen's tenacity mirrored his team's as they refused to accept another defeat.

It appeared to be another case of nearly but not quite for The Shaymen, who had their chances but again didn't take them.

But they deserved their equaliser as, other than the goals, there was little between the sides.

They left it late, but Allen's goal could be the shot in the arm Town need to start moving up the table.

New signing Neil Danns began on the bench, with Niall Maher and Jack Senior coming in as wing-backs, and Jamie Allen replacing Matty Stenson.

Town were a man down within five minutes against Wealdstone, and were a goal down within ten here as, from Jake Reeves' excellent through ball, Sam coolly finished past Sam Johnson from inside the box.

From Town's point of view, the goal was too easy though, with not enough pressure on Reeves and no-one tracking Sam's run.

County were composed, calm and comfortable after the goal, passing the ball with assurance in the knowledge they had Town exactly where they wanted them, chasing the game.

Town were scrappy in response, getting into decent areas but lacking the finesse to create chances.

Niall Maher and Jack Senior were pushing forward down the flanks, and Jake Hyde linking play effectively, but it was too disjointed from Town.

Neither side offered much threat, with not enough tempo or urgency in the final third.

The service to Hyde and Allen was poor, and the two frontmen saw hardly any of the ball inside the County penalty box.

There was plenty for Pete Wild to ruminate on, perched on the edge of his seat in the East Stand. Not the result of a touchline ban, he said, but to take a step away from the heat of the dugout after his sending off last week.

Martin Woods saw a looping shot cleared just in-front of the line with keeper Sam Slocombe beaten as the half-hour mark approached.