Clangers Cost County as Dale Progress in LDV

Rochdale 3 - 1 Stockport County

The two teams did not appear to know which way they were supposed be shooting in the LDV Vans first round clash between Rochdale and Stockport County. A 3-1 victory for Rochdale at Spotland came courtesy of two own goals and a penalty as Dale progressed to round two with relative ease. The game was lively, without ever being the most thrilling, thanks to the attacking nature, and at times comical defending, of both sides.

Steve Parkin stuck with the same team that turned over Notts County at the weekend, which showed the manager’s aspirations to do well in a competition that is not always held in the highest regard. The team looked to recreate the start of the Notts game and, similar to that encounter, Rickie Lambert had the first shot on target on 3 minutes, only this time failing to register a goal as Spencer saved in the County goal.

Stockport were quick to reply as Dale were introduced to the pace and trickery of Matt Hamshaw who ran at the home defence before firing a weak shot at Gilks. Hamshaw proved to be Stockport’s most threatening player throughout the evening with his skills but, like the rest of the Stockport line-up, skilful play failed to register anything meaningful for the visitors, although their product of football was pleasing on the eye. It was Rochdale who had the cutting edge and managed three goals, but that was more through luck than judgement, as evidenced by their opening goal on seven minutes.

Tony Gallimore collected the ball following an excellently timed Warren Goodhind tackle and the left back’s precision pass found Goodall who got to the by-line and fired a low square ball across the face of goal. Grant Holt failed to get on the end of it at the near post but Michael Raynes did the honours by placing the ball past his own keeper to his clear embarrassment.

Rochdale clearly felt this own-goal was an injustice so they scored one for Stockport to make it honours even in the ‘putting the ball in your own net’ stakes. A complete breakdown in communication led to a most comical equaliser. Matt Gilks looked poised to gather the ball on the edge of his area but he failed to inform Goodhind that this was the case, so the South African nodded the ball over Gilks and into the vacated goal.

Both sides continued to attack and looked to try and score some legitimate goals rather relying on opposing defenders to do it for them. Rochdale began to get the upper hand and Gary Jones’ volley from the edge of the box flew wide of the upright after the goalkeeper had flapped Cartwright’s cross to Jones on the edge of the box.

Rochdale regained the lead on twenty minutes after Grant Holt powered his way through on goal after beating Dolan to the ball on the edge of the area. The defender tussled with Holt in an attempt to regain the ball but only served to clumsily upend the Dale striker and concede a penalty that the referee did not hesitate to award. After a lengthy waiting period during which Dolan was booked, Holt scored the penalty despite Spencer’s dive in the right direction.

An excellent Rochdale move secured their next opportunity and it would have been some goal if Alan Goodall could have registered. Holt found Cartwright on the by-line and he picked out the un-marked Goodall with an excellent deep cross to the edge of the area. Goodall connected sweetly with a volleyed attempt but the ball flew just wide, leaving the home fans to applaud the quality of the effort.

Safe in the knowledge that their defence was having a bit of a shocker, Stockport chose to attack rather than defend were possible and they pressed for the equaliser. Hamshaw again proved troublesome and he forced Gilks to atone for his earlier error as his strike was well saved by the Dale keeper and with Bramble ready to mop up the pieces, Gilks did well to cling on to the ball.

The second half began and almost immediately Gilks was again involved in the action. The goalkeeper caught a high ball but his momentum took him outside of the area resulting in a hand ball. The referee gave the free-kick and consulted with his linesman as to what the punishment should be. Stockport players were adamant that Gilks should be sent for an early bath but the referee chose a yellow card as Gilks had not denied a goal scoring opportunity. Gilks resumed his position for the free-kick but was not called upon as the ball struck the wall.

Whilst Stockport continued to look dangerous going forward their defence was kind enough to give Dale a much needed cushion as the game became a master class in the art of scoring own-goals. Alan Goodall raced clear down the left and drew in the last defender to leave Rickie Lambert free in the area but the man-of-the-match failed to find the advancing striker with his cross, not to worry though as finding defender Griffin proved to be just as effective as he knocked the ball past Spencer.

Stockport did not give up the ghost and still searched for goals. Their continued lack of end product nearly cost them as Rochdale caught them on the break. Holt charged at the defence leaving Gary Jones to make a clear run to Holt’s left. Only a poor pass would deny the Rochdale Captain a chance on goal and Holt duly obliged by sending the ball too wide for Jones meaning defenders were able to get back into position and deny the skipper.

Rickie Lambert nearly scored against his former club with the final meaningful attempt on the game. He found space on the edge of the box and fired a well struck shot at goal that nearly landed inside the post after deflecting of Greenwood. Stockport maintained possession for the rest of the game without doing much with it. If their strikers had the potency of their defenders then the game could have been much closer. As it is Rochdale find themselves in the hat for the next round after a fairly comfortable victory.