Weather the winner on dullest of cup days

Rochdale 1-1 Hartlepool United

When the FA Cup draw was made two weekends ago Rochdale were handed an uninspiring home tie at home against fellow League Two strugglers Hartlepool United. The game itself was even more uninspiring than the draw itself as fans endured a game in which next to nothing happened. In desperately poor conditions, with driving wind and rain, the football was as bad as weather.

John Doolan rescued a replay for Dale with a bolt from the blue; as the home side laboured he produced a goal out of nothing, rifling an unstoppable shot into the bottom corner of the net from the edge of the box. The goal cancelled out James Brown’s first half strike, capitalising on Adam Rundle’s error as the young midfielder, starting his first game since August, sliced his clearance into his own face and nicely into Brown’s path.

Rundle’s inclusion coincided with a change in formation by Rochdale manager Steve Parkin, opting to alter the hapless home 4-3-3 formation to a 3-5-2 that at least seemed to tighten them up defensively, after conceding 13 goals in their last 3 league games, but the players never settled into their new roles.

Rochdale had width, where there had been no width all season, but they seldom used it to their advantage. Rundle’s wing play was good, if infrequent, but he was asked to do too much defending, as evidenced by the opening goal. On the other side, Gary Brown put in an excellent defensive display but, as one would expect, had limits going forward. As is often the case with this formation, it was more five at the back than five in midfield.

Steve Parkin said: “We did not have Alan Goodall so we had the opportunity to change the system and we limited Hartlepool to practically nothing which pleased me. That is a positive to take out of the game but the negatives, which included our forward play and some of our passing, disappointed me.”

Chances were few and far between; there were in fact only two worthy of note and both fell to the home side. Apart from their goal, Hartlepool offered very little threat, Matthew Gilks never called into action further than regulation catching practice. There was not much more for Dimi Konstantoplous to trouble himself with at the other end but there should have been.

Rochdale should have opened the scoring when Chris Dagnall and Glenn Murray made a rare good link up, sending the latter through on goal but his shot showed all the signs of a striker lacking confidence, he took it too early and scuffed it well wide.

If Murray’s confidence was low, Keith Barker’s must have been at rock bottom. Arriving as a second half substitute he had a glorious chance to put Dale into Round Two in the final minute. The ball fell to the Blackburn loanee in acres of space and he advanced with only the keeper to beat and plenty of the goal to aim at, but the finish was worse than Murray’s but with a similar result, a scuffed shot wide of the post. “It might be a lack of confidence at home with the results we have had,” said Parkin.

But for the two goals and the two missed chances the awful conditions meant that awful football won out. This was a poor game between two poor sides who at times could do little more than kick the ball in the air and see which way the wind would take it.

Rochdale are in the hat for the next round, that is all that can be said for a performance which brought an improved result but a much worse spectacle after the exciting derby against Bury last weekend.

“At least we have a second bite of the cherry and that is important to us. We are in the draw on Sunday and we can have a look who we could be playing then focus on the Hartlepool game,” said Steve Parkin.

If the first round draw was uninspiring the second is little better, Rochdale or Hartlepool will visit Macclesfield or Walsall.

UPDATE

Monday 13 November, 2006

A date has been set for the FA Cup First Round replay between Rochdale and Hartlepool United. The game will take place on Monday 20 November, kick off 7.45pm, and will be shown live on Sky Sports.

The Rochdale board of directors are offering free coach travel to Rochdale fans in a bid to boost the numbers in the away end. Coaches will depart from Spotland at 4.30pm and fans are asked to book their seats in advance at the club shop or by telephoning 0870 822 1969 so that the club have an idea of how many coaches will be required.

The First Round replay between Walsall and Macclesfield Town will take place on Tuesday 21 November to determine who Rochdale or Hartlepool will face in the next round.