Rochdale v Liverpool University 2015
Last Monday saw the Rochdale senior team play against Liverpool University in a North West League game. The Rochdale team play their home matches in the 1.8metre deep training pool at the Manchester Aquatics Centre
Rochdale were missing two of their better players and also had three playing who were fresh back from injury and illness and hadn't played for 3 months. We had also drafted in Tanya Harrison from our junior team to help us out.
Rochdale got off to a good start and went 2 goals up. Liverpool then struck back and scored on a break. From the re-start, Rochdale put a lot of pressure on the Liverpool goal, but struggled to score. The Liverpool subs were constantly swapping in and out of the pool giving them fresh players on the bottom and preventing the Rochdale side scoring, finally the defence cracked and Rochdale were 3-1 up. Almost straight away from the re-start, Rochdale scored again. Then in the next rally, despite a lot of pressure in the Liverpool goalmouth, the University forwards broke away and scored once more. The score at half time was 4-2 in Rochdale's favour.
At the whistle the Rochdale forwards were off like rats out of traps, were first to the puck and cut through the Liverpool forward line like a knife through butter, some swift passing and inter play between Dale's forwards and backs and another goal scored.
Despite Rochdale having almost all the possession and being camped on the Liverpool goal line for most of the second half, Liverpool still managed to get 2 goals back.
The final 5 minutes saw an almost unbroken spell of Rochdale possession with Zach Tait, Rochdale's latest GB under 19 player, show great determination in dodging and tackling his way through 4 opposing players to score.
Two minutes later it was the turn of the youngest Rochdale player, 13 year old Tanya Harrison. Tanya was on the receiving end of a big forward pass which put her clear, she sprinted towards the goal, being chased all the way by the Liverpool halfback, she just managed to get the shot away goal bound as the defender caught up to her. The puck landed in the goal and there wasn't time for play to re-start.
The final score was Rochdale 7-Liverpool 4. A great debut for Tanya who played well through out the game and got her deserved reward in the final seconds.