FC Halifax Town have been handed an injury setback, days after qualifying for the first round of the FA Cup, following a nervous ending to their victory over South Shields.

John McGrath’s side took a three-goal lead inside the opening 25 minutes, courtesy of strikes from Max Bardell and a brace from Conor Carty – before the National League North side responded with two goals in a minute from Cedwyn Scott and Toby Onanaye, but it wasn’t enough to save their spot in the competition.

Elsewhere, the Shaymen currently find themselves tenth in the National League, heading into Saturday’s clash against high-flying Southend United, but will now be without one of their key players.

Halifax star suffers injury setback

Throughout the season so far, Halifax have welcomed positive performances from several players – both pre-existing talent and their new signings, but one player who has certainly caught the attention is youngster AJ Warburton.

Last time out against Aldershot:
✅ Four goals
✅ Three points
✅ A league debut for AJ Warburton

Tomorrow, the Shaymen head to the EBB Stadium. 🔜

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— FC Halifax Town (@FCHTOnline) February 6, 2026

The 21-year-old started the previous campaign on loan at Marine AFC in the sixth-tier, where he made a positive impression which led to him being called into the first-team squad under former manager Adam Lakeland.

Warburton has since gone from strength to strength for the Shaymen, but is now set for a spell on the sidelines – disrupting what’s been a somewhat frustrating start to the campaign.

However, as reported by journalist Tom Scargill, Warburton is set to miss up to two months of action after sustaining a broken jaw.

Across all competitions this season, the versatile full-back has been limited to just three appearances for McGrath’s side, due to tactical reasons as well as minor injury setbacks – with him also missing Saturday’s FA Cup victory in the process.

Could a loan spell benefit him?

With limited minutes in his locker thus far, there is an outside chance that Warburton could find himself out on loan at some stage after his recovery.

👥 TEAM NEWS |

AJ Warburton has joined National League North side Marine AFC on a 3-month loan.

#Shaymen | AL https://t.co/MT1ot0Ek4W

— FC Halifax Town (@FCHTOnline) August 8, 2025

Last season saw Warburton benefit from his short-term loan stint, whilst the current form of the Shaymen could make it challenging for the 21-year-old to instantly get himself back into starting contention.

If injuries weren’t to occur upon his return, Warburton may find himself in need of minutes to try and rebuild his match sharpness once again, which is where a short loan spell could benefit him both in terms of fitness but also to further aid his development.

Fortunately, Warburton can operate in a variety of positions, which makes him a good squad player to have – especially with Halifax closing in on moving themselves into the play-off places in the coming weeks.