Josh Hmami’s brace, with one either side of half-time, was enough to win it for the visitors, despite Devante Rodney’s strike on the hour mark.
Dale threw everything at their opponents late on but couldn’t find an equaliser, dropping their first home points of the season.
Jimmy McNulty made three changes to the side that started the win at Carlisle United on Saturday. Liam Hogan, Tarryn Allarakhia and Aidan Barlow came into the team, with Ethan Ebanks-Landell, Kevin Berkoe and Devante Rodney dropping to the substitutes’ bench.
It was Dale who had the lion’s share of possession in a first half of few clear chances, although Sam Johnson was the busiest of the two goalkeepers, making a save from Ryan East after ten minutes.
He then made a smart stop from Barlow’s snapshot, whilst Allarakhia sent a couple of efforts from outside the area off target.
The visitors’ first chance of the game resulted in a goal, when a ball into the Dale area fortuitously fell for Josh Hmami, who finished well first time into the top corner.
Half-time substitute Rodney hit a shot wide from the edge of the area, whilst Ryan East saw another effort blocked at source.
Halifax doubled their lead through Hmami in the 54th minute, when a ball in from the left fell for him at the back post, where he finished first time.
However, the two-goal cushion lasted just six minutes, when Rodney pulled one back. Sam Beckwith played a pass into his feet, before the forward turned and shot, finding the far bottom corner.
From then on, it was all Dale, with Mani Dieseruvwe and Allarakhia sending efforts off target, before the former also saw a shot deflected wide.
Inside the final ten minutes, East was denied by the foot of Johnson, and Dieseruvwe had a goal chalked off, when he was adjudged to have handballed after winning back possession high up the pitch.
Berkoe, on as a substitute, fired a low ball to the back post, which came off Kyron Gordon and inches wide, with what proved to be Dale’s final chance.
Dale XI | Whatmuff, Gordon ©, East, Hogan (70’ Ebanks-Landell), Allarakhia (84’ Moss), Gilmour, Dieseruvwe, Adebayo-Rowling (70’ Berkoe), Barlow (70’ Amantchi), McBride (46’ Rodney), Beckwith.
Unused subs | Pettit, Burger.
Scorers | 60’ Rodney.
FC Halifax Town XI | Johnson ©, Hugill, Hobson, Hmami (81’ Jenkins), Harris (67’ Kawa), Cooke, Cappello (81’ Latty-Fairweather), Mills, Bray (67’ Devonport), Turner-Cooke, Tarima (85’ Adetoro).
Unused subs | Ford, Warburton.
Scorers | 41’ 54’ Hmami.
Attendance | 3,466 (584 away).
