(H)
Halifax Town AFC
Vick Hall
AFC Rushden & Diamonds
John Holden
AP Cup Semifinals
Head To Head Results
| S | M | COMPETITION | HOME | AWAY | WON |  | - |  | - |  | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 20 | 1st Division | | 4 | - | 0 | | | 0 | - | 0 | - | 1 |
| 3 | 39 | 1st Division | | 2 | - | 1 | | | 1 | - | 0 | - | 1 |
| 6 | 1 | FA Cup Round 1 | | 1 | - | 0 | | | 1 | - | 0 | - | 2 |
| 11 | 28 | Youth Cup Round 2 | | 2 | - (n) | 0 | | | 2 | - | 0 | - | 2 |
| 13 | 8 | 2nd Division | | 0 | - | 0 | | | 2 | - | 1 | - | 2 |
| 13 | 26 | 2nd Division | | 0 | - | 0 | | | 2 | - | 2 | - | 2 |
| 14 | 3 | AP Cup Group (2) | | 1 | - (n) | 1 | | | 2 | - | 3 | - | 2 |
| 14 | 17 | 3rd Division | | 0 | - | 2 | | | 2 | - | 3 | - | 3 |
| 14 | 38 | 3rd Division | | 2 | - | 0 | | | 2 | - | 3 | - | 4 |
| 15 | 17 | 2nd Division | | 0 | - | 1 | | | 2 | - | 3 | - | 5 |
| 15 | 38 | 2nd Division | | 0 | - | 0 | | | 2 | - | 4 | - | 5 |
| 19 | 3 | AP Cup Group (2) | | 1 | - (n) | 3 | | | 3 | - | 4 | - | 5 |
| 19 | 17 | 1st Division | | 1 | - | 0 | | | 4 | - | 4 | - | 5 |
| 19 | 38 | 1st Division | | 1 | - | 0 | | | 4 | - | 4 | - | 6 |
| 22 | 12 | 2nd Division | | 6 | - | 0 | | | 5 | - | 4 | - | 6 |
| 22 | 19 | AP Cup Quarterfinals | | 1① | - | 1③ | | /
| 5 | - | 5 | - | 6 |
| 22 | 30 | 2nd Division | | 0 | - | 1 | | | 6 | - | 5 | - | 6 |
| 23 | 3 | AP Cup Group (2) | | 0 | - (n) | 0 | | | 6 | - | 6 | - | 6 |
| 24 | 17 | 3rd Division | | 0 | - | 0 | | | 6 | - | 7 | - | 6 |
| 24 | 38 | 3rd Division | | 1 | - | 2 | | | 7 | - | 7 | - | 6 |
| 26 | 10 | FA Cup Round 2 | | 0 | - | 0 | | | 7 | - | 8 | - | 6 |
| 26 | 14 | FA Cup Round 2 Replay | | 6 | - | 0 | | | 8 | - | 8 | - | 6 |
| 29 | 17 | 2nd Division | | 4 | - | 0 | | | 9 | - | 8 | - | 6 |
| 29 | 38 | 2nd Division | | 1 | - | 1 | | | 9 | - | 9 | - | 6 |
| 30 | 5 | 2nd Division | | 4 | - | 0 | | | 9 | - | 9 | - | 7 |
| 30 | 25 | 2nd Division | | 2 | - | 1 | | | 10 | - | 9 | - | 7 |
| 33 | 15 | AP Cup Round 2 | | 2 | - | 1 | | | 10 | - | 9 | - | 8 |
| 36 | 8 | 1st Division | | 1 | - | 3 | | | 10 | - | 9 | - | 9 |
| 36 | 26 | 1st Division | | 1 | - | 0 | | | 10 | - | 9 | - | 10 |
| 40 | 9 | 2nd Division | | 1 | - | 2 | | | 10 | - | 9 | - | 11 |
| 40 | 20 | 2nd Division | | 0 | - | 2 | | | 11 | - | 9 | - | 11 |
| 42 | 27 | AP CUP SEMIFINALS | | 2 | - | 0 | | | 12 | - | 9 | - | 11 |
| S | M | COMPETITION | HOME | AWAY | WON | | - | | - | | |||
Olmec Head Preview
AP Cup• Halifax Town AFC has 3 AP Cup Trophies.
• The previous AP Cup Final appearances by Halifax Town AFC include:
• a season 4 loss to AFC Fylde 1-0 (extra time).
• a season 12 loss to Burton Albion FC 0-0 (PK Shootout: 5-3).
• a season 14 win over Carlton Town FC 3-0.
• a season 17 win over Kendal Town FC 1-0 (extra time).
• a season 18 win over Droylsden FC 1-0.
• a season 20 loss to Harrogate Railway AFC 0-0 (PK Shootout: 5-3).
• a season 31 loss to Worksop Town FC 2-1.
• Halifax Town AFC exited the AP Cup in the Quarterfinals last season when they lost to Luton Town FC 3-2 (extra time).
• The previous AP Cup Final appearances by AFC Rushden & Diamonds include:
• a season 1 loss to Boston United 3-0.
• a season 40 loss to Burton Albion FC 4-1.
• AFC Rushden & Diamonds crashed out of the AP Cup last season in a 1-0 loss to Tonbridge Angels in the 2nd Round.
Halifax Town AFC
• Halifax Town AFC are free of injuries entering today's match.
AFC Rushden & Diamonds
• Axel Lacour (II/13 Df) is sidelined with a head injury suffered in match 19 against Hyde FC.
• Leonardo Greco (I/12 Df) is sidelined with a head injury suffered in match 20 against Ilkeston Town FC.
Head To Head Meetings
• Halifax Town AFC and AFC Rushden & Diamonds have met 31 times with 5 of those occurring in the AP Cup.
• Each club has won 11 of their 31 competitive meetings.
MATCHUP
PUNDIT CORNER
| Halifax Town AFC | Position | AFC Rushden & Diamonds |
| 18 ✓ | Goalkeeper | 17 |
| 14 | Sweeper | ✓ 15 |
| 42 ✓ | Defenders | 25 |
| 45 ✓ | Midfielders | 25 |
| 54 | Forwards | ✓ 64 |
| 39 ✓ | Est. Attacks | 22 |
🅾 PREDICTION: HAL 2 – 1 RUS (HAL to win)
🏠 Home: Halifax Town AFC (+9 🏭 Groundsman) — DF:0 MF:2 FW:7
⚔️ KEY BATTLE: Forward line is the decisive battleground — Halifax (54) hold a significant edge over Rushden's defence (25), giving the home side a clear attacking advantage in the final third.
⭐ ONES TO WATCH: João Medeiros (MF, TL:19) — HAL | Kevin Hawkins (GK, TL:17) — RUS
🎯 VERDICT: Halifax Town AFC should take this one comfortably at home. Their forward line (54) vastly outguns Rushden's defensive unit (25), and with a home advantage worth +9 plus a groundsman boost skewed heavily toward forwards (+7), the conditions strongly favour the hosts. Craig Campbell looks primed to be the decisive figure, operating in a forward line built to exploit exactly the kind of defensive vulnerability Rushden are carrying.
MARVIN'S TAKE
HAL 2 - 1 RUS
Halifax have a meaningful edge through the middle and going forward, and João Medeiros pulling strings in midfield is the kind of thing that makes Rushden's defensive shape look frankly optimistic. The home advantage is real here, though I take no particular joy in saying so, as joy is not something I experience. Craig Campbell up front against a Rushden backline that frankly looks like it was assembled during a brief moment of mild enthusiasm seems, depressingly for all concerned, rather exploitable.
AXEL'S TAKE
HAL 2 - 1 RUS
Halifax's forward line is going to tear through Rushden's defence like a chainsaw through sheet metal — the Diamonds simply don't have the defensive muscle to hold back that attacking wave. João Medeiros controlling the midfield engine room is the key — if he wins that battle, Halifax dictate the tempo and Rushden are chasing shadows all afternoon. Home advantage seals it, The Shay fortress does its job tonight.
Match Notes
Vick Hall manages from near Barcelona while Rushden arrive from wherever Rushden are. The Snake wants seven again. They always want seven.
Olmec Head Marvin (Goole AFC) 06/13 - 7:31 PM