And much like the first game between the sides three weeks earlier, this was one the Shaymen should have win as they dominated for long periods without capitalising.
Rossendale gave them a lesson in taking chances when they come along with a couple of goals, the opener from a first half free kick that should never have been awarded and the second from their solitary attack after the break.
Before, in between and after the United goals, Town created chances but a combination of poor finishing, great goalkeeping and, on more than one occasion, the woodwork ensured they - and only the second sub-four-figure league crowd of the season - went home frustrated.
Nether side was able to string together more than a couple of passes in a scrappy opening, although Danny Ellis did fire a left foot shot across goal and wide.
And, after Ellis and Ashley Stott had combined, Junior Brown hit a low cross across the face of goal and Paul Gedman narrowly failed to capitalise.
Town almost broke the deadlock in the 13th minute when Brown found Scott Phelan who unleashed a tremendous low drive that thumped against the foot of a post.
Moments later Gedman fed Ellis down the right and he crossed for Stott, whose header in the area only found Gedman in an offside position.
Having had the better of the chances, Town went behind in controversial circumstances in the 26th minute.
Kris Atkinson lost his footing on the tricky surface close to the edge of the Halifax area and the referee decided he had been fouled by Ritchie Sutton, who was booked.
Rossendale skipper John Turner struck the free kick precisely, but not with great power, into the bottom right hand corner of Jon Kennedy's goal.
Town responded positively with Brown volleying over the top from a Paul Collins cross and they might have had a penalty when Ellis went over in the area.
The ball rebounded to Damien Allen who crossed low and hard but just in front of Gedman as he slid in.
Allen had an effort blocked and Ellis was denied by a goalline clearance from the rebound before Ellis crossed from the right and Brown looked a certain scorer until his header was magnificently saved by Ben Proctor in the United goal.
Kennedy produced an equally impressive save at the other end to deny Dene Whittall-Williams, who rose well to head a Turner corner goalwards.
Town had further chances before the break, but Gedman fired over on the turn and James Heywood slid in to clear a Brown cross despite being surrounded by blue shirts.
Ellis got free two minutes after the break but was denied by Proctor and the keeper was at his best again soon after when he leapt to his right to palm Brown's goalbound free kick round the post for a corner.
Brown, Stott and Gedman all had shots blocked before Ellis fired a free kick, awarded for a crude Whitall-Williams challenge on Brown, wide of the target.
Almost inevitably, having failed to make anything of their numerous chances, Rossendale got one and doubled their lead.
Turner moved the ball wide to the right from where Heywood sent over the cross and Phil Eastwood fired home from eight yards.
Two-up, the visitors showed little further attacking intent, but Town were unable to break them down.
Cavell Coo had a shot deflected into the side netting and when Stott was sent through by Sutton he could only watch as the keeper tipped his well struck effort over the bar.
Substitute Nigel Jemson headed a Sutton ball straight at the keeper before, with two minutes of normal time remaining, Phelan played the ball long and Jemson headed over Proctor and into the net.
Proctor was forced to parry a Jon Smith cross early in five minutes of stoppage time and Jemson might have snatched a late equaliser but headed Smith's ball into the area over the bar.

STAR SHAYMAN
As disappointing afternoons go, this one was right up there with the worst of them.
Town had so many chances - and good ones at that - they should have won at a canter.
No one came closer to getting what could have been a crucial goal for Town than Junior Brown.
He was denied at point blank range by Ben Proctor in the first half and the keeper pulled off an equally good one from a 20 yard Brown free kick in the second.
The former Crewe man could be forgiven for feeling on each occasion that it was not going to be his day.
New boy Paul Collins did enough to suggest he will be a useful addition to Jim Vince's squad.
The former Woodley Sports skipper was cool under pressure, such as it was from a Rossendale side that lacked ambition for much of the game.
He also linked well with Brown or Danny Ellis, depending on which of the wide men was operating on his side.
Scott Phelan was busy again in the middle of the park, although he would certainly have liked to have had Tom Baker in there with him and Damien Allen.
The former Bradford City man also went close to breaking the deadlock in the first half with a rasping shot that rebounded back off a post.
Brown takes the three points on offer in our season-long competition with Collins getting two and Phelan one.

MATCH FACTS
FC Halifax Town: Kennedy, Coo, Collins, Sutton, Meadowcroft, Brown, Ellis (Jemson 74), Phelan, Allen, Stott, Gedman (Smith 78). Subs (not used): Hinsley, Ross.
Booked: Sutton (foul 25), Meadowcroft (foul 90)
Sent-off: None
Goals: None

Rossendale United: Proctor, Heywood, Watson, Clarkson, Whitall-Williams, Brown, Williams, Turner, Atkinson (Clark 85), Eastwood (Leonard 77), Derrick (Dunnan 46). Subs (not used): Bailey
Booked: Brown (foul 36), Whitall-Williams (dissent 57), Williams (foul 68)
Sent-off: None
Goals: Turner 26, Eastwood 70

Attendance: 954
Referee: J Madine

PLAYER POINTS
Junior Brown 25, Jonathan Smith 16, Scott Phelan 16, Tom Baker 12, Paul Gedman 11, Colin Daniel 10, Peter Moore 10, Ashley Stott 9, Jon Kennedy 6, Cavell Coo 5, Damien Allen 4, Adam Morning 4, Lincoln Adams 4, Steve Payne 3, Nigel Jemson 2, Craig Smith 2, Justin Walker 2, Luke Hinsley 2, Paul Collins 2 Phil Senior 1.