FC Halifax Town 6-2 Morecambe

Paul Mullin scores the opening goal for Morecambe.

The Shrimps had only conceded once in their previous four pre-season friendlies but saw things unravel after the break at The Shay.

Paul Mullin had given Jim Bentley’s side a sixth-minute lead, which they held until just after the restart.

Matty Kosylo equalised before substitute Josh Macdonald gave Town the lead for the first time.

Paul Mullin scores his second goal on Saturday.

Mullin got his and Morecambe’s second before Scott Garner’s close-range header put the hosts back in-front with the fourth goal since the restart in the 58th minute.

From there Halifax didn’t look back, further strikes coming from Tom Denton and a late Richard Peniket brace.

Bentley again cast his eye over a host of trialists with Danijel Nizic, Harry Worley, Josh Carson, Michael Rose and Jamie McDonald all part of the squad in West Yorkshire.

The visitors took an early lead when Mullin beat Hone for pace to a through ball and squeezed the ball past former Shrimps stopper Steve Drench at his near post from inside the box.

Peniket could have equalised immediately but side-footed over from 10 yards after meeting a left-wing cross.

Kevin Ellison went close for The Shrimps on the half hour, turning and shooting from 18 yards only to see his shot palmed away by Drench.

Nizic was tested for the first time late in the half by a Scott Garner header as the hosts improved.

Liam King was the next to have a sight of goal, latching on to Denton’s flick-on before skewing his shot high and wide.

Connor Hughes was then found in space by Kosylo and charged towards the box before firing just over right-footed from 20 yards.

Halifax were still on top after the restart and equalised when Danny Hone’s header from a corner was nodded in by Kosylo from close range when he beat Nizic to the ball.

The Town man got another chance from an identical position minutes later but his close range shot was brilliantly kept out by the former Burnley stopper.

The turnaround was complete when Macdonald volleyed into the far corner when King’s cross from the left eventually reached him.

The Shrimps were level a minute later though, Mullin bundling in a cross from the right flank.

Goals kept coming though, with Garner scoring the third in four minutes when he powered home a header from four yards after Denton had nodded a corner back into the danger zone.

Halifax’s fourth had more than a slice of luck about it. Nizic’s punch clear falling straight to the prone Denton who looped the ball back over the ‘keeper and into the empty net despite lying on the ground.

Peniket then saw a fierce drive beaten away by Nizic before Kevin Roberts’ volley was cleared off the line.

Peniket did get his goal though with a thunderous volley from eight yards following Macdonald’s cross.

The striker completed the scoring a minute before the end of the 90, with a fine 20-yard drive.

Halifax: Drench (Nicholson 72), Moyo (Baldwin 82), Hone (Roberts 46), Garner, Wilde, Kosylo (Sinnott 67), Hotte, King (Hibbs 70), Hughes (Macdonald 46), Denton (Peniket 70) (Khan 90), Peniket (Burrow 46). Subs not used: Harrison, Brown.

Morecambe: Nizic, Wakefield, Conlan, Worley, Winnard, Kenyon, Wildig, Ellison, Molyneux, Carson, Mullin. Subs: Roche, Edwards, McGowan, Rose, Stockton, Fleming, McDonald, Barkhuizen.

Attendance: 625

Referee: Jane Simms