Sutton United 3 - 0 Rochdale

Rochdale fell to defeat on the road on Saturday (5 March), losing 3-0 to promotion chasing Sutton United, in Dale’s first-ever visit to the VBS Community Stadium.

The hosts took a 2-0 lead into the break, before adding a third shortly before the hour.

Robbie Stockdale made two changes to the side that lined up against Carlisle United midweek, as Jimmy McNulty and Conor Grant came in for Liam Kelly and Matty Done.

In a game that was played out in blustery conditions, Kenny Davies had a low shot from 20 yards held by Jay Lynch a couple of minutes into the game, while Alex Newby fired over for Dale soon after.

The hosts opened the scoring from a free-kick, in the 11th minute. Enzio Boldewijn curled the set-piece, from just outside the area, round the wall and into the top corner.

Rochdale got in on goal a short time later thanks to a fast-flowing move forward. Jimmy Keohane rolled in James Ball, but there was some good defending with a timely tackle to take the ball away from his feet and send it behind.

Sutton won another free-kick in a similar position to their opener but this time, Rob Milson’s set-piece, which was curled up and over the wall, was punched away by Lynch.

Shortly after the half hour, Richie Bennett headed narrowly wide from a corner.

Conor Grant then had a shot from 25 yards held by Dean Bouzanis, before Omar Bugiel rose highest to meet a ball in from the right but could only head wide.

Sutton doubled their lead in stoppage time. After Bennett stole the ball just inside the Dale half, he ran at goal before playing in Boldewijn who slid home.

Rochdale had a chance six minutes after the break to pull a goal back, when Grant sent a dangerous ball across the face of goal. But as Tahvon Campbell came sliding in, he couldn’t make the connection to turn it home.

The home side scored a third in the 57th minute. An initial ball into the area was punched away by Lynch as far as the edge of the area, but as Dale failed to get it clear, Joe Kizzi fired home a low powerful effort.

A double Dale substitution followed immediately after, as Corey O’Keeffe and Luke Charman replaced Jimmy Keohane and Alex Newby, respectively.

Shortly after the hour, Lynch pulled off a good save, getting down to his right to claw away Ben Goodliffe's effort off the line.

The goalkeeper then got a strong hand to Boldewijn’s shot to turn it behind, after the Sutton forward had powered his way in on goal.

As Sutton upped the pressure, Louis John flashed a header narrowly wide from a corner.

Dale rode the tide and had a couple of chances themselves during the closing stages. Grant slid in Campbell who had a shot deflected narrowly wide. Ball’s shot from the edge of the area was then charged down with an important block.

Rochdale’s third and final substitution came three minutes from time, with Kelly coming on for Grant.

In stoppage time, Campbell curled an effort just over the bar from 20 yards, in the final chance of the game.

Report courtesy of rochdaleafc.co.uk

 

Rochdale: Lynch, Keohane (O'Keeffe 58), McNulty, O'Connell, Dorsett, Clark, Newby (Charman 58), Dooley, Ball, Grant (Kelly 87), Campbell
Substitutes: (not used) Broadbent, Done, Cashman, Coleman

Sutton United: Bouzanis, Kizzi, Goodliffe, John, Milsom, Ajiboye, Eastmond, Davis (Beautyman 10), Boldewijn (Korboa 87), Bugiel (Kouassi 81), Bennett
Substitutes: (not used) Wyatt, Rowe, Randall-Hurren, Nelson