National League leaders Rochdale travel to The Shay on Tuesday looking to extend their remarkable unbeaten run against a Halifax side whose form has taken a worrying nosedive. Halifax sit 8th in the table with 51 points from 34 games, but their recent results paint a concerning picture. A humbling 4-1 defeat away to title rivals York was followed by an even more alarming 1-2 home loss to Gateshead - a side propping up the table with just 0.10 points per game and the league's worst defence. While Halifax have won 60% of their last five home fixtures, scratch beneath the surface and they've been beating strugglers: narrow 1-0 wins against Truro and Morecambe, and a 2-1 victory over Boston United. Against quality opposition, they've been found wanting. Rochdale, meanwhile, are the class of the division. With 78 points from 32 games, they hold a commanding lead at the summit and are unbeaten in their last ten matches (8 wins, 2 draws). Their defensive numbers are exceptional - conceding just 0.50 goals per game with a 50% clean sheet rate. Even away from home, they've been miserly, letting in just 0.33 goals per game on their travels while maintaining a 66.67% win rate. Recent 1-1 draws against Scunthorpe and Yeovil show they can be held, but those came after a seven-game winning streak that included a 4-1 demolition of playoff-chasing Boreham Wood. The head-to-head record offers Halifax some hope, having taken two draws from their two home meetings with Rochdale in this sample. However, Halifax have actually fared better away at Rochdale (two wins) than on their own patch, suggesting Rochdale's tactical approach travels well to The Shay. **Key Points:** - Rochdale are 27 points ahead of Halifax in the National League table - Halifax lost their last home game 1-2 to bottom-placed Gateshead (0.10 PPG) - Rochdale have kept clean sheets in 50% of their last 10 games, conceding just 5 goals total - Halifax's attack shows a declining trend, averaging 1.30 goals per game over the last 10 - Rochdale's away defence is the league's best (0.33 goals conceded per game) - Goal expectancies suggest a low-scoring affair (0.77 vs 1.07) While the 1.75 on an away win appears short, the gulf in class is substantial. Halifax's confidence will be fragile after losing to the league's worst side at home, and Rochdale's defensive organisation - evidenced by five clean sheets in their last ten - should nullify Halifax's misfiring attack. The visitors have the quality to grind out another professional victory and maintain their march toward the title.