THE travelling army of Redditch fans (above) sang themselves hoarse but Redditch United's FA Trophy dream ended at the Shay Stadium.

A second-half strike from supersub Dave Walker gave Gary Whild's side a chance of another upset and, had another effort from the striker not been cleared off the line, it may have been the Reds whose name went into the hat for the quarter-final draw.

And it was Redditch who created the first chance on 12 minutes when Simon Hollis threaded a pass to Scott Rickards. He dragged the ball back into the six-yard box but Jermaine Clarke failed to connect and Richard Softley placed his shot over the bar.

The remainder of the half saw Halifax take control. German u19 international Felix Bastians, on loan from Nottingham Forest, was at the heart of everything and was first to threaten with a 19th-minute shot cleared off the line by Exodus Geoghaghan.

A minute later and United's towering defender denied Lewis Killeen with an outstanding challenge before Killeen put a diving header over the crossbar from 12 yards.

With Geoghaghan and Ashley Walker, in for the suspended Simon Rae, in such outstanding form, the Conference side seemed to lose their way and the Reds' boss could start thinking about his team talk.

But all that changed a minute into injury time when Halifax scrambled in the opening goal. Gus Uhlenbeek's low free-kick from the right seemed to pass through three Redditch defenders until finding Killeen, who gave it the faintest of touches to send it in.

The goal meant United faced an uphill second half task and that became even more unlikely when the Yorkshire side doubled their lead seven minutes after the restart, Darryn Stamp bagging his third goal in as many games with a well-struck half-volley beyond keeper Richard Anstiss.

The goal prompted activity on the Redditch bench, with Dave Walker soon replacing Softley. The substitute was to throw his side a lifeline but only after the Shaymen missed a glorious chance to wrap up the tie when Stamp rose unchallenged to meet a Lionel Ainsworth cross only to send his header over the bar from eight yards.

With 64 minutes gone the Reds were back in the game. Damian Whitcombe's long ball out of defence saw Walker hold off the challenge of Adam Quinn before rolling the ball past the keeper and into the net.

The goal sparked the visitors into their best football of the game with skipper Carl Palmer and substitute Chris Murphy carving their way through the Halifax midfield.

And it was Palmer's determination that almost led to Redditch equalising on 73 minutes. He won the ball just inside the Halifax half and charged goalwards before letting fly with a shot which keeper Craig Mawson could only parry. Dave Walker pounced on the rebound but his first effort was kicked off the line by Jake Wright and his follow-up ballooned over the crossbar.

That was to be United's last chance and, as the game wore on, the fitness of their full-time hosts began to show. Anstiss produced three excellent saves to deny Bastians, Stamp and the lively Ainsworth but he was helpless to stop Killeen from netting his second of the game three minutes from time.

Halifax: Mawson, Uhlenbeek, Wright, Trotman, Quinn, Killeen , Billy (Thompson 44), Kearney, Forrest (Ainsworth 62), Stamp (Smeltz 89), BASTIANS. Subs (not used): Cresswell, Butler.

Reds: Anstiss 7, Petty 7, Whitcombe 7, Walker 7, GEOGHAGHAN 8, Deakin 7 (Taylor 75), Softley 7 (Walker 57, 7), Clarke 6 (Murphy 64, 7), Rickards 7, Hollis 6, Palmer 8. Subs (not used): Francis, Adams.