Halifax Town 3 Burnley 3 - Pete Oliver's match verdict

STAN Ternent has less than two weeks to forge an efficient fighting unit out of a side that looked in parts like the Home Guard at The Shay on Saturday.

Defensively the Clarets are struggling and any progress they are looking to make from the dark days of last season is threatening to be undermined by the inability to keep it tight at the back.

It's early days of course and with plenty of training ground sessions to come, and possibly some new personnel as well, Ternent is doing everything possible to make sure it will be all right on the night come August 8.

But as fickle as pre-season can be, it should be a time for learning good habits.

And frankly at the moment Burnley are unable to lose the bad ones that have dogged them in recent times.

Ternent has tried virtually every defensive permutation open to him within his existing squad in a bid to hit on successful formula and on Saturday switched to using three central defenders at half-time.

But that formation was unable to protect a two-goal lead against the Vauxhall Conference champions who looked well equipped to make sure they will at least consolidate in the Third Division.

Whatever and whoever is played at the moment, there is a lack of conviction about Burnley's defending - not helped at Halifax by the home side's superiority in the middle of the pitch for long periods.

That allowed midfield men Jamie Paterson and Kevin Hulme to threaten Burnley's goal which was under some pressure once Geoff Horsfield had cancelled out Steve Blatherwick's opener.

Burnley's recovery was initiated by a classic own-goal from Mark Sertori which was followed three minutes later by an Andy Cooke strike to make it 3-1 inside an hour. But a set-piece allowed Town back into the game and it came as no great surprise when they claimed a late equaliser, albeit with a fair slice of luck, from Sertori who completed a memorable home debut.

Ternent's latest defensive line-up saw Neil Moore start at right-back with Chris Brass in the middle alongside Steve Blatherwick and Steve Morgan at left-back.

There was a familiar look to the rest of the side and it was Glen Little who carried most of the early threat on the right flank.

The opening goal emanated from the other wing, however, as Paul Smith picked himself up off the floor to drill over a free-kick which the completely unmarked Blatherwick headed home.

Burnley's back four had coped well enough up to that point but Halifax's response was immediate as Dave Hanson won the header from a free-kick to bring a smart reflex stop out of Tony Parks.

Little continued to torment the Town rearguard but, from another whipped in cross, Cooke failed to make contact and on the half-hour the prolific Horsfield made it 1-1 as Halifax's two outstanding players from last season combined to telling effect.

Paterson, the Vauxhall Conference player-of-the-year, got free down the left and served up the perfect cross for Horsfield, who netted 34 times last season, to open his account for this when sliding home from close in. That sparked a flurry of efforts from the home side but neither Hanson, Paterson or Hulme were able to hit the target.

Hulme and Cooke were involved in a fiery exchange shortly after the restart and Michael Williams was dreadfully late on Jon Brown as the game briefly threatened to lose its friendly billing.

Sertori demonstrated that Town could be generous hosts, however, when he headed a huge Craig Mawson clearance over his own keeper from at least 20 yards out.

And Tim Carter and his defence was still at sixes and sevens when Cooke drilled home the third after the keeper had palmed a Little cross into his path.

That was Cooke's last touch as he gave way to Henderson, the young striker making good use of the half-hour he was given.

Lee Howey and Mark Winstanley were also introduced to the back line with Morgan and Brass now pushed into a five-man midfield.

But instead of cruising Burnley were jittery and uncertain. Paul Stoneman punished them when he was free to head in Paterson's corner and then, three minutes from time, another corner ultimately led to Sertori striking home a looping shot which deflected in off Howey.

With two games to go this was not what the Clarets were looking for.

HALIFAX: Carter, Thackeray, Bradshaw (Lucas 58), Murphy, Sertori, Stoneman, Paterson, Hulme, Hanson (Starbuck 58), Horsfield (Duerden 73), Brown. Subs: Aspinall, Martin (gk).

BURNLEY: Parks (Mawson 46), Moore, Morgan, Ford (Winstanley 64), Blatherwick (Howey 64), Brass, Little, Williams, Cooke (Henderson 58), Payton (Carr-Lawton 43), Smith.

REFEREE: Roger Furnandiz (Pontefract).

ATTENDANCE: 2,962.

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