Football: Grimsby 0 - 2 Rochdale

Oliver Rathbone’s brace earned Rochdale a passage through to the second round of the EFL Cup for the fourth consecutive season as they beat Grimsby Town.

Rathbone fired Dale into the lead shortly before half time when he latched onto a McGahey pass before firing past McKeown. He scored his second with ten minutes remaining with a low shot from outside the area.

At the other end Grimsby rarely threatened as the league two side struggled against the side from a league above.

Dale manager Keith Hill made five changes from the weekend defeat to Peterborough. Kgosi Ntlhe, Jimmy McNulty, Calvin Andrew, Oliver Rathbone and Andrew Cannon all got starts.

Rochdale kept the football really well throughout the game but as the Dale boss alluded to in his after match interview, they need to score more goals.

Despite not seeing much of the ball, it was Grimsby that came closest to breaking the deadlock midway through the first half. The pacey Hessenthaler beat McGahey to the by-line with the former Gillingham man sending a dangerous cross that was turned behind for a corner. From the flag kick, defender Alex Whitmore sent a looping header that beat Lillis but hit the face of the post and cleared.

After Grimsby’s mini flurry, Dale took command again with captain Ian Henderson forcing a save from McKeown.

With six minutes to go until the interval the visitors took the lead. McGahey’s ball over the top was perfect for Rathbone’s run as he took one touch to control the ball and another to fire past the keeper and inside the far post.

The second half was much of the same with Dale creating chances but not troubling McKeown. Rathbone fired a shot over whilst Ntlhe headed wide after a good cross from Henderson.

Calvin Andrew saw a looping header come back off the post as Dale looked for a second goal.

The game was wrapped up with ten minutes remaining when Rathbone’s snap shot from 22 yards nestled into the bottom corner and Rochdale saw out the remainder of the game without any worries.

Rochdale: Lillis, Rafferty, McGahey, McNulty (Camps 90+2), Delaney, Ntlhe, Perkins, Rathbone, Cannon (Done 70), Andrew (Wilbraham 70), Henderson (c)
Subs: (not used) Moore, J Williams, Inman, Adshead

Grimsby: McKeown, Davis, Collins, Whitmore, Dixon (Robles 72), Welsh (c), Hessenthaler, Woolford, Vernam, Hooper (Rose 83), Cook (Wright 83)
Subs: (not used) Femewo, Clifton, Buckley, Russell

Referee: Mr D England
Assistants: Mr S Hudson & Mr B Small
4th Official: Mr G Rhodes

Attendance: 1,781