Halifax Town 1-2 Blackpool

Simpson (4), Clarkson (85)

Jules (50)

THE Ghost is back in town! Halifax Town that is, and who else can earn the nickname Ghost but the Seasiders forgotten man Phil Clarkson.

After being given his long-awaited chance in the starting line-up, Clarkson didn't disappoint and grabbed a vital 85th minute goal to end the poor run and put Pool back into the play-offs zone.

Along with Clarkson, Steve McMahon welcomed the return of John Hills from his long-term injury problems and on-loan striker Richard Walker kept his place in favour of Brett Ormerod.

Blackpool got off to a dream start thanks to a terrible error by the Halifax defence and a sweet Paul Simpson finish.

After just four minutes defender Chris Clarke's attempted pass to Paul Mitchell was intercepted by Simpson who subsequently went on to smash the ball into the Halifax goal, giving keeper Craig Mawson no chance.

The goal lifted Blackpool and for the next 20 minutes the Seasiders were on fire.

The partnership of John Murphy and Richard Walker continued to find gaps in the Halifax defence and only last-ditch tackles prevented several goal scoring opportunities for the Blackpool front men.

The lively start from the Seasiders eventually began to fade and by the half hour mark Halifax began to get into the game.

Their best chance came to Steve Kerrigan on 32 minutes after some sustained pressure from the home side. Kerrigan received the ball six yards out and with his back to goal, he needed only to turn and shoot to level the score.

But instead of breaking the Tangerines net, the Halifax front man smashed his shot on the turn against the Blackpool post and some swift defending by Pool cleared the danger.

After a poor display from the home side in the first half, Halifax were expected to come out in the second half with the kind of spirit and determination a side battling against relegation should have. But the second half was a similar story to the first with Pool completely dominating the play, pinning back Halifax in their own half for long spells.

Although before that Halifax grabbed an equaliser against the run of play on 50 minutes.

Ex-Charlton and Barnsley midfielder Neil Redfearn found teammate Mark Jules in acres of space on the left wing.

Jules took on and beat Simpson and Hills and powered a shot in off the post for a well taken, but undeserved equalising goal.

INTERCEPTOR: A super strike by Paul Simpson set Pool on their way