Shaymen draw 2-2 in behind-closed-doors friendly with Sheffield United under 21s

Town have certainly played pre-season games at far less salubrious surroundings than the impressive St George's Park.

Chris Millington will feel it was a worthwhile visit but will perhaps be left with as many questions as answers about his side.

After shading the opening 15 minutes or so, Town fell behind thanks to a lovely move, finished off with a back post finish from a low, left-wing cross, after Halifax had lost the ball in midfield.

Before then, Angelo Cappello had tested the United keeper with a low left foot shot cutting in off the right, while he and Milli Alli had wayward shots off target.

Golden equalised two minutes after the opener with a powerful low finish from just inside the box after Cappello's cross.

Caveats are important when judging the game's merits; how good are Sheffield United's under 21s compared to National League opposition, how strong was the Town line-up and where are both teams in their pre-season schedules?

Neither side really dominated play. Sheffield United looked more comfortable and composed in possession, with The Shaymen more ragged on the ball.

Town, with arguably no more than six or seven likely starters against Bromley in just over two weeks' time, created the better chances, but they dried up in the afternoon sunshine long before half-time.

Harker will come up against more physically imposing centre-halves than here, but showed promising signs of developing into a more rounded forward that were first evident at the back end of last season, holding the ball up, pressing well and bringing others into play.

Cappello was his typical energetic and combative self, while Adam Senior excelled in the middle of the back three with some excellent interceptions and blocks.

1-1 seemed fair at the break; the game had lacked the intensity of a competitive fixture but was a good exercise in being well organised off the ball and trying to be patient and probing on it.

United remained the smoother side in possession, able to retain the ball for longer and higher up the pitch. When they had a decent spell on the ball, Town generally struggled to replicate it.

By the time United regained the lead just before the hour, they had been looking the likelier to score again, and did so when a through ball released their forward in-behind the Halifax defence, and he finished calmly past Sam Johnson.

Town finally came to life again when half-time substitute Andrew Oluwabori's low shot was tipped away midway through the second 45.

Harker glanced a Golden cross wide with 15 minutes to go, with murmurings of Town finding a second wind.

And they found their second equaliser when Jamie Cooke's lovely through ball released Harker in-behind the defence and he finished neatly into the bottom corner.

Halifax: Johnson (Scott 61), Triallist (Keane 61), Senior (Clarke 61), Stott (Triallist 61), Golden, Hunter, Triallist (Triallist 61), Sinfield (Cooke 34), Alli (Oluwabori 46), Cappello, Harker.

Scorer: Golden (19), Harker (81)

Shots on target: 5

Shots off target: 3

Corners: 1

Sheff Utd:

Shots on target: 2

Shots off target: 3

Corners: 3

Town man of the match: Adam Senior, didn't put a foot wrong at the heart of Town's back three