Vanbrugh worked hard to pull off the week’s big upest, beating favourites Halifax 5-1 in what their Captain Phil Taylor described as “professionalism showing through against a team of individuals.”
Halifax pushed Vanbrugh back into their own half early on and went close several times; Mawdesley and Lund blazed wide and Vanbrugh keeper James Wilson was forced to make saves from Tom Day and Ben Rea. A penalty could easily have been awarded after a Rea cross was seemingly handled, but it was not given. After this, Halifax soon retreated, and conceded. Ben Stanier swung a low cross into the area, with Kieran O’Dwyer slotting home.
A second goal followed for Vanbrugh. Scaysbrook’s corner was cleared to the edge of the box, where O’Dwyer controlled the ball with his chest and unleashed an unstoppable volley into the top-right-hand corner of the net. At 2-0 down Halifax pushed forward again, but once more were denied by, who this time saved from Jack Beale and then watched Mawdesley blaze over.
Halifax pressed forward at the start of the second half and found their reward through Connor Brennan. After being taken down in the area he found the bottom corner of the goal but the whistle had already blown for a penalty. Brennan stepped up again and tucked it inside the right-hand post to make it 2-1.
Until the final minutes, the second half had been played mostly inside Vanbrugh’s half. Mawdesley was on target from range and Brennan came close with a glancing header from Rea’s cross. Vanbrugh’s third came against the run of play. From a corner on the counter-attack, the ball broke to Scaysbrook. Not to be outdone by O’Dwyer, he laced a 25-yard drive into the bottom corner.
A demoralised Halifax team capitulated and Vanbrugh attacked more freely. Jake Mundy was called into action within minutes, stopping well with his foot, but suffered a lapse of concentration seconds later and spilled in a looping Johnny Grout cross-come-shot. In the final minutes Captain Phil Taylor added a fifth; striding through Halifax’s centre and finishing confidently.