This was not the kind of opening night Halifax Town wanted, and it certainly was not the kind of statement Forest Green Rovers wanted to waste. A 3-2 comeback win is the sort of result that tells you plenty about both sides: one found a way to respond, the other found a way to let a lead slip far too quickly.
Halifax Town struck first through Will Flint, who bundled home Ben Tollitt's cross after eight minutes to give them the perfect start. For a while, that looked like the decisive early punch in a tense National League opener. Instead, Forest Green Rovers kept their nerve, kept asking questions, and gradually turned the match their way.
The game swung fast after the restart
Before half-time, James Berry had already gone close, striking the post for Forest Green Rovers, which was a warning Halifax Town did not fully absorb. Three minutes into the second half, Filozofe Mabete headed in Kyle McAllister's deep cross to level it, and from that point the balance of the match shifted in Forest Green Rovers' favour.
At 59 minutes, Sean Etaluku completed the turnaround and suddenly the side that had been chasing the game was in control. That was the decisive blow in a contest that had already become uncomfortable for Halifax Town. Forest Green Rovers then added a third through Kyle McAllister 11 minutes from time, a goal that felt like the insurance they had earned by staying aggressive after the break.
Halifax Town did at least keep pushing. Deep into stoppage time, Zak Gilsenan scored a free-kick to make the final score 3-2, which gave the numbers a slightly tighter look than the flow of the second half really deserved. But the damage had already been done. Forest Green Rovers had taken the points, and Halifax Town were left to reflect on an opener that slipped away once the momentum changed.
For Forest Green Rovers, this was the ideal start: a comeback, a hard-fought win, and a result that puts their campaign on the right footing. For Halifax Town, the standings are shaped immediately by a lesson they will not enjoy repeating - if you let Forest Green Rovers breathe, they can make the punishment come quickly.
