IN front of the highest attendance at the Weaver Stadium Nantwich Town were beaten 2-4 by FC Halifax Town in the FA Trophy semi-final first leg.

After going 1-0 down after 3 minutes through Scott McManus, Nantwich went close to making it 1-1. But it was the visitors who got the next goal on 19 minutes when Waide Fairhurst flicked the ball past Terry Smith from a corner on 19 minutes.

The Dabbers pulled a goal back just before the interval though Sean Cooke after a rapid counter attach when a ball from Kosylo fell to Cooke via Hancock and he slotted the ball past Sam Johnson, on loan from Port Vale.

After the restart the visitors made it 3-1 just seconds into the second half when Jordan Burrows profited from a cross in the area.

On the hour mark Lewis Short gave away a penalty and Burrows stepped up and despite Smith getting a hand on his ball he couldn't keep it out.

Nantwich weren't dead and buried and on 77 minutes a corner was flicked on by Shotton and Kosylo slammed the ball into the ground and into the roof of the net to make it 2-4.

The Dabbers had chances to make it 3-4 put they couldn't find that third goal.

The second leg is next Saturday and Nantwich are certainly in the tie still. Although we do go to Ramsbottom United on Tuesday night in the league. KO 7:45.

Att: 2,078