Debut delight as Rees brace sees Rovers come from behind to win.

A scrappy first 15 minutes saw Forest Green Rovers on top but unable to make any clear cut chances.

Rovers then started asserting some pressure and were unlucky not to take the lead as Ricardo Rees hit the post.

Halifax struggled to get going for most of the first half but took the lead with their first real threat in added-on time, when Will Hugill finished from a low cross.

Rovers came out fast in the second half but the visitors dealt with this early pressure until Rees capitalised on the loose ball in the box from a goal-mouth scramble to level the score.

He then won the game and completed the Rovers comeback with a sublime finish, turning home a beautiful low cross from Tom Knowles at the back-post.

The first clear chance of the game went Rovers way inside 10 minutes, when Knowles struck a low free-kick towards the bottom corner, which Sam Johnson in the Halifax goal pushed away for a corner.

A cross from Neil Kengni on the left reached Rees at the back-post, who’s header across goal hit the post. Temi Babalola turned and struck the loose ball but it was well blocked by the Halifax defence.

Temi Babalola had the next half chance of the game for Rovers as he shot from a Knowles free-kick but it curled just wide of the far post.

In the final moments of the half, the Shaymen came forward and were able to make a brief spell of pressure count.

Will Hugill had an easy finish from six-yards out after Jay Turner-Cooke attacked down the left, making it to the goal-line, before cutting it back to Hugill to tap home.

A good finish but very much against the run of play.

HALF-TIME: Forest Green 0 – 1 Halifax Town

 Forest Green started the second half brightly but were unable to find the target with their first few chances.

In the 67th minute new signing Rees did exactly what was wanted by Rovers fans when he opened his account on his debut.

Knowles created the chance from very little as he beat his man down the right and fired in a tempting ball. Laurent Mendy could only head the ball up but Babalola kept it alive and Rees was most alert to poke home the loose ball from close range.

Moments later FGR Captain Mendy wasn’t far away from beating Sam Johnson as his effort from range whistled past the post.

Rees had another chance to put Rovers ahead after Kyle McAllister slipped him through one-on-one, but he couldn’t beat the keeper, who made a smart save.

Rovers took the lead as Rees smartly turned home a cross directly from Knowles this time, making it a debut brace.

The ball was over the top down the left and Knowles chased it into the box and drilled it low across the box to Rees, who finished very well at the back-post.

Inside the final 10 minutes the visitors thought they had an equaliser but the linesman spared Rovers as the goal was disallowed for offside.

Rees then had his best chance for the hat-trick as he had a clear shot from the edge of the area but a Sam Johnson hand was enough to slow the ball and divert into onto the post.

In the 90th minute substitute Florent Hoti had a great chance for Town as his headed effort from a corner nestled on the roof of the net.  

Turner-Cooke turned in a swinging cross in added time and Will Smith rose to meet it forcing a solid save from Isted.

In the final moments of the game the ball broke free on the edge of the area and Halifax’s Turner-Cooke thundered an effort goalward that might’ve found the back of the net had Mendy not produced a magnificent block.

FULL-TIME: Forest Green 2 – 1 Halifax Town

Forest Green: Isted, Kengni (88’ Robson), Inniss (76’ Moore), Mendy, McAllister, Knowles, Bunker (64’ Buyabu), Whitwell, Babalola, Kanu, Rees (88’ Mitchell)

Subs (not used): Pagel, Haughton, Clarke

Halifax Town: S. Johnson, Adetoro (88’ Bray), Hobson, Smith, C. Johnson, Capello (75’ Kawa), Hmami (38’ Latty-Fairweather), Hugill (88’ Hoti), Warburton, Turner-Cooke, Harris

Subs (not used): Ford, Mills, Tarima