Rochdale's perfect start to the League Two season came to an abrupt end as Crawley Town produced a resilient second-half display to leave Spotland with a 2-1 victory on Saturday evening. The visitors had to come from behind, but two quick-fire goals just after the hour mark turned the game on its head and sent the travelling supporters home happy.

First-half flow

Rochdale began the match with confidence, taking the game to Crawley and creating several early openings. Their pressure paid off in the 23rd minute when a well-worked move down the right flank ended with a low cross being turned home from close range. The home side continued to dominate possession after the goal, but Crawley grew into the game and began to pose a threat on the counter-attack.

The visitors went close to levelling just before half-time, but a last-ditch block denied their striker from six yards out. That proved to be a crucial moment, as Crawley emerged for the second half with renewed purpose and a higher defensive line.

Crawley's turnaround

Crawley equalised in the 64th minute with a superb team goal. A patient build-up ended with a diagonal ball over the top, and the forward made no mistake with a composed finish across the keeper. Just three minutes later, the away side completed the turnaround, capitalising on a defensive error to fire into an empty net after a mix-up between the Rochdale defence and goalkeeper.

Rochdale pushed forward in search of an equaliser and threw men forward in the closing stages, but Crawley defended superbly in numbers. The home side had a strong penalty appeal waved away in stoppage time, but the referee was unmoved and Crawley held on for a valuable three points.

Why Crawley won

• Clinical edge: Crawley made the most of their limited chances, taking two of their three shots on target.
• Momentum shift: After absorbing first-half pressure, Crawley pressed higher after the break and forced Rochdale into errors.
• Solid game management: The visitors slowed the game down when needed and saw out the final minutes with clearances and smart fouls.

Season context

The defeat was Rochdale's first of the season, leaving them just outside the early play-off places in the League Two table. Crawley, meanwhile, jumped into the top half with their second consecutive away win, a sign that they may be stronger on the road than many expected.