The March to Victory

Star midfielders Gary Jones [right] and Jon Doolan warm down after the game

Rochdale 1 Grimsby Town 0

Rochdale finally secured their first win of the season after overcoming Grimsby at Spotland by a Morike Sako goal to nil. Dale continued to improve on their recent good displays and an action packed second half brought Dale their first goal from open play and their first three point haul of the campaign.

The game got off to a quiet opening but the home side enjoyed long spells on the ball and looked the more threatening of the two sides as they continued the high tempo football of their last home fixture against Hereford. Their tidy link up play resulted in the first clear cut chance of the game; A one-two between Jones and Sako gave the latter some space and he fired a shot across the bows of the Grimsby goal.

Gary Jones showed the home fans what they have been missing in his absence, with his bursts into attack providing a link between the midfield and strike force.

Dale continued to dominate in terms of possession and they hit the woodwork from their next attack. Sharp’s superb diagonal ball was pinpointed for Barker’s head and the Grimsby keeper Barnes did well to scramble across and palm the ball out via the crossbar. Barker was continuing the early form which has made him a hit with the Dale support; charging all over the field and bringing his team mates into play.

Despite their possession Dale were not bombarding the Grimsby goal and as the Mariners defence became more comfortable with the Dale attack so they began to get into the game with a couple of chances of their own. Not for the first time this season, however, they were up against a Rochdale goalkeeper in superb form and Matthew Gilks was on hand to acrobatically palm away Rankin’s beautifully struck volley.

It was the home side who squandered the best chance of the half. Again Jones provided the link between midfield and attack with a nice interchange with Chris Dagnall. The ball was played out to Alan Goodall and his superb low cross was somehow avoided by both Sako and Barker inside the six yard box. Dale had had their chances but at half time the home fans must have been wondering where that crucial goal was going to come from.

They needn’t have worried as Rochdale put on one of their best second half displays for some time, playing a brand of football not seen at Spotland since Grant Holt left the club.

The home side had their tales up from the off as Chris Dagnall came to the fore and set the fast paced tempo of the second half. Dagnall was on the end of two early chances, the first was blocked by Whittle and the second was blocked by Barker, his own man, following a scintillating burst down the left by the small striker – typical given Dale’s plight for a goal that even their own players were preventing one!

Then, however, the goal finally came! Superb work again by Gary Jones, this time plying his trade down the left wing, as he made a powerful run beyond Gary Croft and he pulled the ball back for Sako who had all the time in the world to find the net. The tall striker seemed to need it and his low stab at goal was almost saved by the hand of Barnes but the ball crept into the far corner.

Steve Parkin admitted in his post match interview that it had been so long since his side had led at home they simply did not know what to do for fifteen minutes following the goal. A nervous tension descended on Spotland and Dale almost paid for a couple of defensive lapses. First Rankin was given too much space on the edge of the Dale box and he cracked a shot off the face of the crossbar with Gilks beaten all ends up.

It was a warning sign that James Sharp failed to heed. Sharp got underneath a high ball and attempted to head it backwards to Gilks, a skill he had successfully pulled off in the first half, only this time he had not accounted for Rankin jogging slowly back behind him. Rankin raced onto the ball and found himself clear on goal only for Gilks to again emerge the victor as he smothered the ball at the feet of the Grimsby forward.

A bit of luck and more superb goalkeeping allowed Dale to ride out the storm and they began to regain the initiative with some of their best football of the game. The home side should have added to their lead on more than one occasion. Barker squandered the best chance after Sharp rose to head powerfully goalwards from a corner, the header was blocked but then seemed to hit Barker in the goalmouth and sailed over the bar.

Dale were dominating proceedings and their next chance for Alan Goodall followed the best move of the game. The ball was spread from right to left in a move that involved the whole of the midfield. Jones slotted the ball in behind for Goodall to run on to but the marauding left back could only drill his shot across goal.

The fans were at times on the edge of their seats at the football they were watching but there remained the added tension that the team had only one goal to show for it despite bossing the half. Would Dale suffer a cruel late blow having missed so many chances?

The four minutes of added time announced by the fourth official did little to help the nerves but the players were able to hold theirs, keep the ball, keep the lead and pocket a much needed three points. The fans could not be happier after a great night at Spotland. Chris Dagnall received the standing ovation his second half display deserved when he came off in stoppage time and every single supporter stayed to the end to cheer the team down the tunnel.

“The fans have been great,” said Parkin after the match, “And the players appreciate that, and with them behind us we can give anyone a very good game.

“Grimsby have come and battled very hard and given everything they’ve got but they came up against the better side tonight and I don’t think anyone will have any arguments about that.

“We competed and passed the ball well. It was an overall energetic performance, full of good things apart from maybe finishing of a few extra four or five chances.

“Against Wycombe all we can do is demand the same kind of performance shown on Tuesday, and if they do this we can give them a very tough game.