Halifax Hold On To Seal Away Victory At Rochdale

Rochdale and FC Halifax Town served up an entertaining encounter on a warm summer's afternoon, with the away side making the brighter start. The visitors struck first when Zain Gilsenan found the net just five minutes in, before Trialist B doubled their advantage moments later with barely seven minutes gone. It looked as though Halifax might run riot, but Rochdale hit back through Ian Henderson's strike on 26 minutes to get themselves back into the contest.

The home side completed their comeback before the break when Lewis Hanannt levelled the score at 2-2 in the 37th minute. The momentum had shifted decisively towards Rochdale as they pushed for a winner, only for Halifax to deal a telling blow just after the restart. Adam Allen restored Halifax's lead with a goal in the 47th minute, putting the visitors back in front and setting up a tense finale.

The match took a dramatic turn when both Hanannt and T. A received red cards in the 50th minute, leaving each team with ten men for the remainder of the contest. With numbers even and tempers rising, both sides had to adapt their approach and dig deep for the closing stages. Despite Rochdale's efforts to find an equaliser, Halifax's defence held firm to secure a hard-earned result.

The victory gives Halifax something to build on as they continue their pre-season preparations, while Rochdale will want to improve on their defending if they are to hit the ground running. For a friendly fixture, both teams will have learned valuable lessons about their fitness and shape heading into the new campaign.