Bury 0 - 1 Rochdale

Callum Camps scored the only goal of the game

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Rochdale moved to within three points of the League One play-off places with this narrow win over relegation threatened Bury. Callum Camps’ 35 yard free kick somehow squirmed through Bury keeper Joe Murphy’s hands in first half stoppage time to keep Dale’s play-off dream alive.

After a poor show at Shrewsbury on Saturday, Rochdale manager Keith Hill made three changes to his side for this derby clash. Joe Bunney, Keith Keane and Jamie Allen were all preferred with Oli Rathbone dropping to the bench whilst Matt Lund and Donal McDermott missed out completely.

Bury, who are just one point above the relegation zone, started brightly taking the game to Rochdale and had the best of the early exchanges.

James Vaughan had the first strike when his turn and shot went straight at Conrad Logan.

Bury went even closer just short of the half hour mark when Reece Brown’s inviting corner was met by Tom Pope but Nathaniel Mendez-Laing was on hand to head off the line.

With that went Bury’s best chance of scoring as Dale then took control.

Ian Henderson saw a header well blocked with Joe Bunney’s follow up deflected away to Mendez-Laing. Henderson dropped his shoulder and fired a powerful angled drive that Murphy tipped away for a corner.

Dale’s frustrations were short lived as they took the lead in first half stoppage time. Jacob Mellis’ tackle on Jamie Allen was deemed unfair by the referee and when Camps stepped up from fully 35 yards his powerful free-kick was too hot to handle for Murphy, who let the ball through his hands and into the net.

The second half yielded very little in the way of clear cut chances as Rochdale held Bury at arms length.

Pope saw a looping header land on the roof of the net whilst Harrison McGahey was immense against Vaughan whenever Bury's former Premier League striker tried to break through.

The result sees Rochdale close the gap on Millwall in sixth place to three points, whilst defeat leaves Bury staring relegation in the face.

Dale host bottom club Coventry at The Crown Oil Arena on Bank Holiday Monday.

Rochdale: Logan, Rafferty (Cannon 77), McGahey, McNulty, Bunney, Keane (Davies 90), Camps, Allen (Rathbone 83), Henderson (c), Andrew, Mendez-Laing.
Subs: (not used) Wilson, Vincenti, Morley, Kitching.

Bury: Murphy, Caddis, Burgess, Barnett, Leigh, Bryan (Hope 54), Brown, Styles, Mellis (Walker 84), Pope (Miller 71), Vaughan (c).
Subs: (not used) Williams, Kay, Pennant, Lowe.

Referee: Mr D Bond
Assistants: Mr M Jones and Mr J Wilson
Fourth Official: Mr D Coote

Attendance: 4,850 (1,361 from Rochdale)