Easy-Threesy for Dagnall as Dale dismantle Macc

Rochdale 5 (Dagnall 20, 41, 45, Murray 47, 59)

Macclesfield Town 0

 

Keith Hill’s Rochdale side would have been expecting a tough game against relegation battlers Macclesfield but that was before the Silkmen’s defensive circus rolled into town. Chris Dagnall hit a first half hat-trick and strike-partner Glenn Murray tried to follow in Dagnall’s footsteps in the second period but could only manage two goals, ensuring that Dagnall’s hands were on the match ball at the final whistle.

 

The win came very easily to an impressive Rochdale side that seems determined not to let their season peter-out; a place in the playoffs remains a mathematical possibility for Hill’s men. They ploughed through the woeful Macc defence at will; better finishing and worse goalkeeping by Tommy Lee could have seen them record double figures.

 

“I feel sorry for our fans and I would like to apologise to them,” said Macclesfield assistant manager Ray Mathias, “Rochdale did not have to work hard enough to score their goals.”

 

Keith Hill, the man who “just loves to win football matches”, was understandably more upbeat. He said his side had turned in an almost complete performance: “That is what you are searching for as a coach and as a manager, I think from the first whistle to the last it was absolutely superb. We did everything that we know we are capable of doing.”

 

Three of the goals came all too easily for Rochdale; the other two were wonderfully worked. After dominating the early proceedings, during which time Adam Rundle had a shot well blocked by the keeper, Murray missed a virtual open net from two yards out and Dagnall tested Lee’s reflexes at his near post, the home side took the lead after they were awarded a penalty when Rory McArdle’s header from a Joe Thompson free-kick was blocked by the arm of David Morley. Dagnall stepped up and saw his spot kick tipped onto the post by Lee but the ball fell kindly for Dagnall to shoot back into the open goal.

 

The home side sought to stamp their authority on proceedings. Headers from McArdle and Thompson sailed inches wide following more flowing Dale football before they doubled their lead by scoring the best goal of the game. Murray controlled the ball instantly with his chest, turned, and threaded a superb through ball for Dagnall to latch onto. The young scouse striker’s first touch was heavy but he made up for it with a sublime finish, dinking the ball over Lee from an angle and into the far corner.

 

Dagnall’s predatory instincts got him his hat-trick. Macclesfield’s defensive calamities continued when they failed, on numerous occasions, to clear the ball from the edge of their area and eventually it fell in the box for a race to ensue between Morley and Dagnall. There was only ever going to be one winner in the sprint, and Dagnall produced a calm finish under Lee to give him his fifteenth goal of the season.

 

After the break Macclesfield made a good start having made two substitutions but their defence were soon on hand to put paid to any ideas the midfield and forwards may have had about making some initial steps in the right direction. Rundle did well to dig out a cross from the left for Rochdale but it headed directly into the path of Morley to clear, only for him to compound his miserable afternoon by missing the ball completely. Dagnall prodded it towards goal, Lee dived low to keep it out but Murray was on hand to pick up the pieces and slam emphatically home.

 

At this stage Rochdale could have managed any number of further goals but they settled for one and a calm and composed last half hour of the game in which Keith Hill could afford to make three changes, bringing off Dagnall, Rundle and Thompson all to standing ovations from the crowd. Dagnall just had time to return the earlier favour of his strike partner Murray by assisting his second. Thompson scrapped well to win the ball and feed Dagnall by the right touchline. The hat-trick hero sprayed a first time cross-field ball to Murray and he did the rest, taking advantage as two Macc defenders backed off, to curl the ball inside the right hand upright.

 

The only thing in the afternoon to bemuse Keith Hill came when the match sponsors chose Glenn Murray as man of the match rather than his hat-trick scoring strike partner. Hill said: “To be honest there was probably eleven [men of the match] wasn’t there? Daggers [Dagnall] was a bit gutted about not getting it but he’s got the match ball after a superb first half hat-trick. You just can’t fault anyone in the performance.”

 

Man of the match – Chris Dagnall – It was a definite tossup between Murray and Dagnall, although Dagnall scored three, Murray’s assist for the second was almost as good as the goal itself. A first hat-trick by a Rochdale player at Spotland since defender Gareth Griffiths’ unlikely effort in 2004 deserves to be commemorated so Dagnall gets man of the match as well as the match ball.

 

Attendance: 2,989

 

Rochdale: Gilks, Ramsden, Crooks, McArdle, Goodall, Thompson (Brown 81), Doolan, Perkins, Rundle (Poole 71), Dagnall (Dodds 66), Murray.

Subs not used: Rigby, Reet.

 

Macclesfield: Lee, Regan, Morley, Scott, McIntyre, Miles, Hadfield, Holgate (Navarro 46), Bullock (Rankin 83), Murphy, McNeil (Tipton 46).

Subs not used: Tolley, Jennings.

 

Booked: Morley, Holgate, Scott.

 

Attempts (on target): Rochdale 19 (12) Macclesfield 12 (6)

Freekicks: Rochdale 10 Macclesfield 19

Offside: Rochdale 6 Macclesfield 2

Corners: Rochdale 5 Macclesfield 4

 

Referee: N Miller