Halmstad have had a tough start to the season and in early May coach Johan Lindholm was fired. In his third match as Halmstad's new coach, veteran Stuart Baxter saw the team break the trend. It was 2–0 at home against Örgryte and the team's first win in nine league matches this season.
It was an important victory in many ways. We are very, very early in the process. What we have done... is take it like a gardener. I have sown some seeds, and now I can just see some green shoots coming through. That is about where we are. If we water it every day and mow it carefully, then it will be a nice lawn, Stuart Baxter told TV4.
Half-volley decided
Rocco Ascone scored the 1–0 goal with a beautiful half-volley after half an hour of play. It was the French-Italian team captain's first Allsvenskan goal this year. In the second half, striker Ludvig Arvidsson then made it 2–0 with his first Allsvenskan goal ever.
It will take a while to take it in. But it was needed. Now we just have to continue, Ludvig Arvidsson told TV4 and continued:
Ever since we made our debut at home against Öster last year, we've been dreaming about it. Finally it happened.
The 18-year-old praised Stuart Baxter for giving him the chance.
“Believe in me”
He keeps giving me chances and believes in me. That's the most important thing you can have as a player, a coach who believes in you. It feels good.
Örgryte, who lost the controversial derby to promoted IFK Göteborg (2-3) at the beginning of the week, is the new leader in the Allsvenskan table, while Halmstad rose from last place (16th) to a qualifying place (14th).
