Life without Holt begins with Lacklustre Display Against Bottom Side

Rochdale 0 - 1 Stockport County

Worrying times continue at Spotland whilst some Rochdale fans are beginning to lose faith with both the board and the manager after an awful defeat against Stockport County, the bottom side in League Two. Without ever voicing their complaints during the game, a chilling silence throughout this encounter was evidence enough that Rochdale fans are disgruntled at the sides current plight which has seen them gain just one point from their last seven outings.

With the departure of Grant Holt to Nottingham Forest during the week the Rochdale squad were left to try and prove that this season’s successes have not rested solely on the shoulders of their top-scoring ex-striker but such a dismal display served only to show that that might well have been the case and that the remainder of the squad are not capable of challenging for the play-offs without Holt leading the attack. Ironically, Holt’s immediate replacement in the starting eleven was the only player to have come out of this encounter with any credit; 18 year-old Clive Moyo-Modise made his first start for the club and his work-rate and skill was a shining light on a dark day for the Rochdale faithful.

Despite Moyo-Modise’s efforts, Rochdale had clearly lost their goal threat with Holt gone and Rickie Lambert failing to fire against his former club. Stockport fans taunted the Dale front-man all afternoon and Lambert failed to rise to the challenge. Even when Rochdale did create openings Hatters keeper James Spencer was seldom troubled; it took until the seventieth minute for the Stockport stopper to make a save worthy of note and that came from left-back Alan Goodall’s header rather than from one of the three strikers.

It took just one moment of inspiration for County to win the game; Jermaine Easter’s speculative overhead kick looped beyond Matthew Gilk’s grasp and into the net with just eight minutes played. Stockport missed a penalty in the second half which would have put the game beyond any doubt but in truth one goal always looked to be comfortable enough; Rochdale had plenty of possession but they moved the ball slowly around the pitch and seldom displayed any urgency to create chances and get back into the game.

By half-time the Rochdale players seemed to have lost interest as the Stockport defence dealt with any attacks with considerable ease. Only once were any of Rochdale’s attackers aloud to escape from the defenders pockets; Paul Tait did well to turn his marker but his shot was deflected wide of the target. Warren Goodhind was forced off at the interval due to injury, although a poor first half might have seen the right back taken off anyway; a needless two footed foul saw him yellow carded and another foul later left Goodhind on a final warning, Lee Cartwright replaced him.

Rochdale upped the tempo after the interval but it added little to their goal scoring threat and it was the visitors who looked the more likely to find the net on the break. Dale lost the ball in opposition territory and they were left short at the back as County swept forward. A cross from the left  found Briggs unmarked at the back-post and his looping header looked have found the net as Gilks slipped but the Dale keeper recovered well to tip the ball round the post.

Rochdale’s replacement number nine entered the fray with sixty-five minutes gone. Chris Dagnall, signed on loan from Tranmere almost immediately after Holt’s departure, showed some nice touches but was unable to lift the home side’s display sufficiently as they laboured towards another defeat, although the pressure did increase around the County area with Dagnall’s introduction. Dagnall assisted in gaining a Rochdale corner; Lambert found Goodall who leapt well and glanced a header goalwards only for Spencer to tip the ball away.

Defeat was already on the cards by the time Hamshaw missed his dubiously awarded penalty and Rochdale failed to create any chances and take advantage of the missed spot kick for the remainder of the game. The side meandered to a sixth defeat in seven games and Steve Parkin described it as one of the worst performances he has seen during his time at Spotland; drastic measures and additions to the squad are desperately needed if the club are to avoid going into freefall; so much has changed in the last two months.