Halifax concede second-half turnaround as Forest Green take opening points
FC Halifax Town began their 2026/27 National League campaign with a narrow 3-2 defeat at Forest Green Rovers after surrendering a first-half advantage. The Shaymen flew out of the traps when Will Flint bundled home from a Ben Tollitt cross inside the opening ten minutes, but the visitors could not hold out against second-half pressure.
"Forest Green Rovers opened their National League campaign with an impressive comeback 3-2 victory over Halifax."
The hosts drew level just three minutes after the break when on-loan defender Filozofe Mabete met a deep cross from Kyle McAllister and headed into the top-right corner. Forest Green then took the lead on 59 minutes through a curling strike from winger Sean Etaluku, and McAllister wrapped up the win with a composed finish late in the second half.
Key moments and scorers
Halifax had the better of the early exchanges and might have been in the clear at half-time but for a sustained spell of Forest Green pressure which included a James Berry effort that struck the post. The second half belonged to the home side.
| Minute | Scorer | For |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Will Flint | FC Halifax Town |
| 48 | Filozofe Mabete | Forest Green Rovers |
| 59 | Sean Etaluku | Forest Green Rovers |
| 79 | Kyle McAllister | Forest Green Rovers |
| 90+ (stoppage) | Zak Gilsenan | FC Halifax Town |
What happened on the pitch
- Halifax struck early when Will Flint capitalised on Ben Tollitt’s delivery to give the visitors a deserved lead.
- Forest Green started to turn the screw late in the first half; James Berry hit the post and Kyle McAllister tested Halifax goalkeeper True Grant before the break.
- Three minutes after the interval Mabete nodded home McAllister’s cross to level, and Etaluku’s curling effort put the hosts ahead shortly after.
- McAllister added a third after a poor clearance was seized upon, though Halifax had the consolation of a stoppage-time free-kick from Zak Gilsenan.
The match also saw an injury forced substitution for the hosts before half-time when Emeka Obi went off and Tate Campbell came on. Goalkeeping duties involved Forest Green’s Luke McNicholas and Halifax’s True Grant, who made several saves in what became a frantic second half.
Local angle and implications
For Halifax, losing an early-season lead will be a bitter pill. The opening fixture was always going to be a temperature check for John McGrath’s side — whether they can stay in games and protect leads will be watched closely by supporters at the Shay over the coming weeks. A stoppage-time free-kick from Zak Gilsenan at least gave fans something to cheer on the long trip home, but three points were never in doubt once Forest Green completed their turnaround.
Robbie Savage’s Forest Green, meanwhile, will take heart from their response. Two first-half chances punished in the second half and a late seal from McAllister show a side capable of turning matches around — valuable in a league where momentum can be everything.
Halifax now head back to West Yorkshire to regroup. The opening defeat is not catastrophic in itself — plenty of promotion-chasing teams have dropped early points — but the manner of the loss will prompt questions about defensive concentration and game management that McGrath and his coaching staff will want answered sooner rather than later.
Supporters are left to hope that the grit Halifax are known for will show up in the next fixture. After all, if you can’t keep a clean sheet away from home in August, there’s always the tea and sympathy at the Shay — and a few helpful suggestions from the terraces.
Report supplied by PA Media and club match coverage.
