Rochdale 3 - 0 Bury

Rochdale v Bury

Rochdale secured a comfortable victory in the derby against Bury to move onto 51 points, which should secure League One football for another season.

Nathaniel Mendez-Laing’s first half brace set Rochdale on the way to victory inside 17 minutes before Ashley Eastham sealed the win early in the second half.

Bury keeper Ian Lawlor kept the scoreline respectable saving from Jamie Allen and Donal McDermott.

Dale were unchanged from the team that started against Coventry last Saturday. Grant Holt was missing from the substitute bench after the striker failed a fitness test before the game.

The opening minutes of the game were a lively affair, although neither keeper was called into any action, but that changed in the eleventh minute. Donal McDermott’s wizardry down the left gave him space to cross. Ian Henderson gathered and turned well, his shot being blocked out to Mendez-Laing who made no mistake firing low into the corner.

Soon after, Mendez-Laing got his and Dale’s second after a mistake in the Bury defence. Lillis’ long free-kick caused confusion between Soares and Clarke with Mendez-Laing nipping into take control. The former Peterborough man rounded the stranded Lawlor to slot into the empty net.

All the attacking play was from Rochdale as they pushed Bury back.

McDermott’s swerving shot forced Lawlor into a low save.

Ashley Eastham had the ball taken off his toe by Lawlor after Bury failed to clear their lines after a Rochdale corner.

The Bury goalkeeper had to be at his best to keep the scoreline at 2-0 when Peter Clarke inadvertently diverted a Jamie Allen cross towards his own goal; Lawlor sticking out an important foot to clear.

The second half started much as the first had ended with Rochdale on top.

Ian Henderson saw a low shot tipped onto the post by Lawlor but couldn’t do anything to stop a rampant Dale from the resultant corner.

Michael Rose’s centre was met clinically by Ashley Eastham to power a header into the back of the net.

With a nice buffer, Rochdale seemed content with their day's work, which allowed Bury a couple of foray’s forward.

Substitute Sean Clare forced Lillis into some action.

Full back Craig Jones also tested the Dale keeper.

Henderson could have made the scoreline even more convincing when he found space 18 yards out but his shot flashed just off target.

The Rochdale faithful were happy to take the points and the bragging rights against their near neighbours whilst the dream of reaching the play-offs could still be alive with 10 games left to play.

Attendance: 4,538

Rochdale: Lillis, Rafferty, Eastham, Canavan, McNulty, Lund (Bennett 90), Rose, Allen, Mendez-Laing (Bunney 80), McDermott (Camps 73), Henderson (c)
Subs: (not used) Collis, Vincenti, Bell, Hooper

Bury: Lawlor, Jones, Soares, Clarke (c), Pugh, O’Sullivan (Hussey 46), Tutte, Gardner (Clare 60), Brown, Mayor, Lowe (Rose 33)
Subs: (not used) Ruddy, Burgess, Sedgewick

Referee: Mr T Harrington
Assistants: Mr R Jones and Mr M McGrath
Fourth Official: Mr N Hopton