'This is the stretch where we really see what team we can be': HFX Wanderers lose 2-1 to York United amid heated playoff race

Wanderers sit sixth on table, part of three-way tie with York and Atlético Ottawa

Moments before Monday's kickoff between the Halifax Wanderers and York United, centre-back Doneil Henry took a knee and placed his hand on the grass at the Wanderers Grounds, eyes closed in contemplation.

He maintained that pose for nearly 30 seconds, a figure of calm amidst the buzz of two clubs separated by a mere three points in the CPL table.

It was an important match for the 30-year old Henry; Monday marked his first start since joining the Wanderers back in July and the latest chapter in his bid to re-launch his football career.

And although the CanMNT veteran had his moments, there's no way Henry or the rest of the Wanderers are happy given York is headed back to Ontario with a 2-1 win in their back pocket.

This is the second time this season York has come into Halifax and left the victors.

In many ways, the match was a tale of two halves as the Wanderers dominated both possession and high danger chances in the opening stanza.

Midfielder Callum Watson had Halifax's first big chance within the first 10 minutes, finding himself with space against York goalkeeper Adisa De Rosario but was unable to put it away.

Halifax striker Jordan Perruzza opened the scoring in the 31st minute — benefiting from one of Henry's long balls — and beat De Rosario between the legs on a breakaway.

Later, Brazilian star João Morelli was also sprung all alone but failed to double the score.

York replied with a goal of their own just before the end of the half off a lofted through ball which snuck past Henry and found its way to Austin Ricci, who was playing as a striker for the first time this season. Ricci took a step, beating Wanderers centre-back Daniel Nimick, and headed the ball into the back of the net off a fortuitous bounce.

Halifax Wanderers head coach Patrice Gheisar noted in his post-match availability that Ricci's goal was a turning point in the tilt.

“When they scored that goal last second, we came out, our players were quiet and the stadium was quiet,” said Gheisar. “I’m going to do whatever I can to tell our supporters and us, I don’t know what’s the difference if they score in the 47th, 42nd, 35th or 22nd. It’s a goal. I don’t know what’s the difference if it is a second before half-time or if it is 20 minutes.”

Coming out of the half, the Wanderers appeared disjointed and York started to play their game; they would ultimately get a set piece goal from captain Roger Thompson in the 63rd minute, who beat his man to head the ball into the back of the net to give York a commanding 2-1 lead.

And although they had their moments, Halifax couldn't find a reply.

When asked post-match what message he had for his players, Gheisar noted it was important to engage the 6,100 Wanderers fans to draw energy from them.

"One of our guys needed to go the the fans and get them up. There's waves to the game when you're defending and attacking," he said.

Speaking to the media, Wanderers midfielder Mo Omar said the loss means the Wanderers will need to prove their mettle heading down the stretch as York's win tied them with Halifax and Atlético Ottawa with 32 points. Given York has one more win, the Wanderers currently sit outside the playoff picture.

“This is the stretch where we really see what team we can be,” said Omar. “Three more games in the span of roughly 12 days now, so we look to pick up as many points as we can and we are going to regroup and just focus on the next match.”

The Wanderers next play away on Friday against Pacific FC; the club then heads back to the Wanderers Grounds for a match against Cavalry FC on September 12.

From the Notebook:

1. Halifax's playoff hopes have taken a hit but are still very much within reach. Although they technically sit sixth on the table, Gheisar's squad has a game in hand on both York and Forge FC. Having said that, I don't think the club has done themselves any favours by dropping three points when they could have easily beat York had Morelli doubled their lead off his breakaway. Instead, they stalled. Once York had re-grouped, Halifax lost their focus and their discipline; their lines, which I have praised in recent weeks for being organized, fell into disarray. They started getting drawn into York's game of chirps and snipes, spending their energy fighting referee Marie-Soleil Beaudoin (who I thought reffed a fair match) instead of playing football. Friday's match against Pacific offers a shot at redemption but it won't be easy given the travel and then quick turnaround back to Halifax to play Cavalry. The dropped points against York may come back to haunt them. And the league title, which seemed close but a few days ago, suddenly seems very far away.
2. For some context as to the importance of yesterday's match, it marked the beginning of what Wanderers president and owner Derek Martin described as "the most significant 13-day stretch in the short, yet proud, history of our club both on and off the pitch." Mo Omar summed it up best post-match when he said the next few weeks will truly show us who this squad really is. The boss is watching.
3. A couple statistics which resonated with me: Halifax tallied 14 shots but seven came outside the box; Halifax lost possession 130 times; Halifax fouled 14 times and received two yellows. All of these numbers tell me the Wanderers did not play the disciplined, attacking football they have showcased this season. Instead, and especially in the second half, they lost their edge and became a sloppier, past iteration of themselves. But the most important statistic of all, which Gheisar pointed out to me post-match, was the Wanderers created five big chances and only converted on one while York created two and scored on both. Football is a game of moments and York took the moments they were given.
4. Before talking about Halifax's defending, I wanted to zero in on a comment made by York's Austin Ricci. I asked him post-match to walk through his goal for me and was surprised to hear him say he felt the Wanderers were nervous in their defending. "The defenders were just really antsy, really antsy, at my back the whole game," said Ricci. "There was a first chance I got where I took a little fake step and (Nimick) bit on it right away. He bit on it again for the goal and I got a good skip off the ground and once it came to me, it was a pretty easy finish to head it into the back post. I got a little bit fortunate with the bounce but we'll take it."
5. Centre-back Cale Loughrey was suspended due to yellow card accumulation so Gheisar opted for a backline of Zachary Fernandez, Daniel Nimick, Doneil Henry and Wesley Timoteo. As mentioned earlier, yesterday was the first time this unit started a match. Judging from Ricci's comments, I think a bit of nervousness may have crept into Halifax's backline due to the swap of Loughrey for Henry. It's not that Henry isn't capable but the partnership of Nimick-Loughrey has been one of the best storylines for the Wanderers this season. Changing the starting XI formula, even by one player, can be enough to throw players out of whack. And Ricci could feel this tension, this nervousness, and got the better of Nimick on two occasions, including the tying goal. Not many players can say that this season. Personally, I thought Henry's starting debut was a mixed bag. His long ball ultimately led to Perruzza's goal but his challenge (and subsequent yellow card) led to York's set piece goal. He nearly scored a goal of his own off a corner and logged 38 complete passes and three clearances. I expect Loughrey to slot back in next match but Gheisar was still full of understanding for Henry's debut. "His best will be at the end of the month, in early October. He's still getting more and more accustomed to the team. It's not easy," he said.
6. Jordan Perruza finally got his goal. Not only did he score but I thought yesterday was his best game in a Wanderers shirt. I had previously criticized Perruza's first touch (or lack thereof) but his technique was on full display as he corralled the ball for his breakaway goal. In the second half, he had a moment where he evaded three defenders and kept possession with some deft footwork. If he can build off this match, the sky's the limit for the 22-year old as he has had plenty of chances through his five matches with the club. They'll need him to pot a few more if he continues to start over Tiago Coimbra and Theo Collomb.
7. I really liked Callum Watson's work ethic. He was a worker bee throughout the first half and notched Halifax's first big chance. He also had some lovely passes, springing his wingers, and created turnovers at midfield. All in all, it was a proper performance for the Englishman as he showed the characteristics which make him so effective. His two completed long balls also showed a more refined side to his game.
8. Last but not least, a note on the squad's U-21 minutes. None of the eligible U-21 players started but Aiden Rushenas, Armaan Wilson, Tomas Giraldo and Coimbra were all on the bench. I think Gheisar set his bench up so that if his side ran away with the match, he could sub on more young players to get more minutes. However, as they were chasing the game, he was forced to wait until the 69th minute to sub on Coimbra and the 86th to bring on Giraldo. As a result, the Wanderers only logged 25 U-21 minutes and have a long way to go to the 2,000 required.

Cover Photo Credit: Trevor MacMillan / Halifax Wanderers FC