SCARBOROUGH boss Nicky Henry was left to rue a controversial penalty as the Seasiders' hopes of earning a hard-fought point in West Yorkshire were dashed by former loan striker Craig Midgley.

Midgley scored the winner from the spot nine minutes from time after referee Mo Matadar spotted an infringement, possibly committed by Mark Hotte, in a packed penalty area.

"I don't know why he gave it," lamented Henry.

"Even their centre-forward said to one of our players that he thought he had given a foul to us."

Halifax boss Chris Wilder was equally unsure as to who had been fouled but he wasn't complaining as the Shaymen hung on to collect their first win of the season.

The home side dominated early on and went ahead in the 11th-minute when Mark Monington dived to head home following a Martin Foster free-kick.

Scarborough struggled to cope with Halifax's set-pieces, but it was from a free-kick of their own that Henry's men levelled three minutes after the break.

Former Halifax player-manager Neil Redfearn had been jeered for a few off-target efforts but silenced the home crowd when he curled in a beauty from 25 yards.

Robert Gill was then twice denied by Ian Dunbavin as Scarborough sensed a possible winner. However, with Halifax finishing strongly the visitors would have happily settled for a share of the spoils which was denied them when Midgley sent goalkeeper Leigh Walker the wrong way from the spot after Hotte had been booked.

"We were the only team in it for the majority of the second half and it looked like we were going to win it, but it wasn't to be. A draw would have been a fair result," Henry added.

Updated: 11:08 Wednesday, August 18, 2004