Notts County 1 (Hughes 30) Rochdale 0

Lee Hughes gave Notts County one hand on the league two trophy as his first half goal was the difference between the first and second placed sides at Meadow Lane.

Dale enjoyed plenty of the ball and at times frustrated the home side but they struggled to create any clear cut chances and conceded a suicidal goal. A mix-up between Jason Taylor and Chris O'Grady saw Dale gift possession to Notts and the home side were ahead when Lee Hughes lashed home the resulting through ball.

The atmosphere was electric at Meadow Lane and both sides responded early on as they exchanged goalscoring chances. Lee Hughes snatched a half volley well over the top after latching onto Craig Westcarr's low cross. At the other end Chris Dagnall had the more presentable opportunity after getting on the end of Scott Wiseman's superb back post cross but could not direct a shot at goal.

The home side cranked up the pressure on ten minutes when they won a corner. Lee Hughes and Delroy Facey got right in the face of Dale keeper Frank Fielding but that did not stop the Blackburn loan man making a fine save when the ball fell to Graeme Lee to drill a low shot towards the bottom corner.

It had been an even start with chances for both sides, the next falling again to Dagnall when Joe Thompson robbed Stephen Hunt and fed the striker. Dagnall raced towards goal but rather than electing to shoot he chose to try a cut back to Gary Jones that was never really on and Notts smothered the attack.

The game slowed considerably after the early blood and thunder as Rochdale settled into a rhythm and frustrated the home side. The plan was working perfectly as the visitors enjoyed all of the ball for a long period but they conceded a disastrous opening goal. Chris O'Grady and Jason Taylor looked to share possession with plenty of time on the halfway line but they suffered a complete breakdown in communication and conceded possession. One through ball later and County were ahead as Lee Hughes hit a perfect finish into the top corner.

Rocked by the goal Dale lost their way somewhat in the ten minutes proceeding and came close to conceding a second when Ben Davies dropped his shoulder to go beyond Nathan Stanton on the edge of the box and fire a shot across goal just past the upright.

Dale started the second half brightly but it looked as though it would take something special to unlock County's tight backdoor. O'Grady looped a shot over the top but for all their possession there was little for the large traveling contingent to cheer. Another extended period on the ball almost ended in disaster when Notts looked to hack a free kick into touch from inside their own box, the ball hit referee Mark Halsey, and Westcarr was free to run the length of the pitch. Tom Kennedy slowed his progress but at the end of the move Fielding was forced to nudge the ball behind for a corner.

That bit fortune awoke the home side from what had been a bit of a second half slumber and they proceeded to pile on the pressure in search of a second. Three or four chances came in quick succession for County and they came close to a second when Neal Bishop's long range effort pinged off the top of the cross bar. Minutes later Delroy Facey brought a superb full length save from Fielding as the striker stole a yard in the box and fired across goal.

With Notts on top Keith Hill made changes, introducing Kallum Higginbotham and Andy Haworth from the bench, and the latter almost made an instant impact as he nicked the ball past two men and fired a shot from fully 35 yards that hit the crossbar on its way over the top.

The respite for Dale was brief and again they had Fielding to thank for keeping them in the game as Hughes broke clear down the right of the Rochdale box, turned inside Stanton, and looked certain to find the net until Fielding somehow turned his shot behind.

The miss seemed to end County's ventures for a second and they sought to hold what they had with five minutes to play. Dale carved out one clear chance in injury time after Higginbotham smuggled the ball to O'Grady in space 14 yards out but he snatched horribly at his finish and that was that.

Attendance: 10,536.

Notts County: Schmeichel, Edwards, Lee, Thompson, Ravenhill, Hughes, Bishop, Davies, Hunt, Westcarr, Facey.
Subs (not used): Hoult, Hamshaw, Hawley, Clapham, Rodgers, Jackson, Akinbiyi.

Booked: Lee.

Rochdale: Fielding, Wiseman, T. Kennedy, Stanton, Dawson, J. Kennedy, Jones, Taylor (Higginbotham 66), O'Grady, Thompson (Haworth 69), Dagnall (Obadeyi 80).
Subs (not used): Arthur, Toner, McArdle, Holness.

Attempts (on target): Notts County 11 (4) Rochdale 6 (1)
Free kicks: Notts County 11 Rochdale 15
Offside: Notts County 6 Rochdale 1
Corners: Notts County 6 Rochdale 3

Referee: M. Halsey.