Rochdale 4 - 0 Walsall

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Oliver Rathbone

Rochdale moved back into the League One play-off places with a comfortable 4-0 victory at The Crown Oil Arena, this time against Walsall. Youngster Oliver Rathbone scored his first ever senior goal when he latched onto a Joe Thompson pass to fire in at the near post. Reuben Noble-Lazarus squeezed home Dales second on the stroke of half-time with substitute Steven Davies netting a second half brace to ensure a comprehensive 4-0 win; the second in the space of a few days for Rochdale’s men.

Dale dominated from start to finish against a Walsall side who failed to record a shot on target all game whilst the home side had 65% possession.

After coming close through Joe Thompson on a couple of occasions, the striker turned provider for the opener just after the half hour mark. Dale’s swift counter attack saw Rathbone race into the box and fire in between the keeper and near post to net his first senior goal and set Rochdale on their way to a 9th straight home win.

Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, a thorn in the Walsall side all night, started a Dale move on the half way line as the clock ticked toward half time. The pacey winger raced onto a Rathbone pass before picking out Noble-Lazarus at the back post whose first time shot was adjudged to have crossed the line by assistant Ian Dudley despite the best efforts of keeper Neil Etheridge.

Having beaten Swindon 4-0 at home on Saturday, Keith Hill’s side looked hungry for more goals and went on to match the weekends score with a second half double from Davies. The substitute had been on the pitch for 20 minutes when he stepped up to take a 76th minute penalty after Mendez-Laing was upended by Etheridge. Davies sent the keeper the wrong way to extend Dale’s lead to 3-0.

Etheridge had to be at his best to stop the scoreline being extended with Davies and Ian Henderson being denied by fine saves.

The final action of the night fell to that man Davies who netted his second of the night and his 6th in 3 games. A wayward backpass by fullback Jason McCarthy was seized upon by the striker. He bypassed Etheridge who has raced out of his goal, before firing into the empty net from 40 yards out.

It was another comprehensive victory for Dale who stretched their run to nine straight victories at home and remain unbeaten in eleven at The Crown Oil Arena.

Attendance: 1,907

Rochdale: Logan, Rafferty, McGahey, McNulty, Tanser, Camps (c), Lund, Rathbone (Odelusi 87), Noble-Lazarus (Davies 56), Mendez-Laing (Henderson 76), Thompson
Subs: (not used) Lillis, Canavan, Gillam, Stewart

Walsall: Etheridge, McCarthy, Toner, Preston, Laird, Edwards, Chambers (c), Ginnelly (Cuvelier 65), Oztumer (Bakayoko 46), Moussa, Jackson (Makris 78)
Subs: (not used) MacGillvray, O’Connor, Dobson, Kinsella

Referee: Mr A Haines
Assistants: Mr IA Dudley & Mrs N Aspinall
4th Official: Mr M Salisbury