He is the resurection

Rochdale AFC 4 - 1 Accrington Stanley FC

Journey:

Odd day today. I turned up for a game of pool in Manchester at lunchtime to find I was just the 24 hours late. Had a nice chat with the manager - a Rochdale lad. Came home.

I was just siting down with a brew when I was texted by Mr. Keane enquiring after my whereabouts. His concern was that with just 25 minutes to kick-off I hadn't yet arrived. I hadn't realised it was a 2pm start - I thought I had another hour.

Some fairly 'Starsky and Hutch' driving delivered me to Spotland in a little over 10 minutes.

The key point was that I had managed to remember to drag Lady Luck into the car as I sped on my way.

Food:

The oddness continued. At Mr. Keane's insistence our usual haunt in the Sandy was shunned in favour of the Pearl Street Stand. Two reasons:

£10 in for adults - £3 for nippers. It was Keane jr's birthday - and he had five of his friends with him.

I arrived to find Messers Keane and Mitchell wrangling an unruly mob of little people. The surprise inclusion of Ms. Bentley meant that we had unwittingly fielded seven dwarves - Ms. Bentley in her traditional role as 'Grumpy'.

I didn't get any food before the game - time did not permit. I did however venture forth on the 30 minute mark - and frankly I wished I hadn't.

The Sandy Patisserie is a model of ruthless efficiency - queues are a rare thing indeed. The Pearl Street Cafe is very different kettle of fish. I waited for 10 minutes to get within sight of the counter behind an ill assorted band of teenage boys. All of whom seemed entirely pre-occupied with punching each other in the arm and letting yet more of their pimply cohort into the line.

As I got near the front the true source of the delay became apparrent. Pretty girls behind the counter. Pretty girl + teenage boy = mumbling, dithery, nuisance. I waited for what seemed an eternity behind one such example who had to have the pie selection explained to him three times. It was all I could do not to punch him in the back of the head.

Come on RAFC! If we must let teenage boys into the ground - lets get bad tempered, matronly women behind the pie counter. That should move things along a treat.

Weather:

Cool and breezy and boy, oh boy what a sky. Definitely the man upstairs best work this season.

Away Support:

Accrington is 10 miles from Rochdale. Therefore the fact that only 200 or so made the 'epic' journey was a surprise. Pretty vocal during the first half. We were treated to 'Just a small town in Bury' and the factually inaccurate 'in the same league for 20 years' (36 probably didn't scan). Silent and incresingly absent during the second period.

Action:

I read Mr. Hill's fulminations over the Stockport game during the week. I could truly understand his frustration - Dale had dominated most of the game - but a moments loss of concentration and a further moments loss of judgement had seen all Dale's good work undone.

Today was potentially problematic. Accrington have not been on a good run - but then neither have Dale. Then you have to consider Dale's legendary home form of late - legendarily awful that is. The peel of a phallic, yellow fruit seemed to be waiting in the wings.

Presumably due to the enforced absence of young Higginbottom Mr. Hill had chosen to ring the changes. Dale sported an all new 4-3-3 line-up with Rundle, USS Howe and St. Adam of Le Fondre leading the line.

It really didn't work.

Dale's midfield of Jonah, Basham and Perkins found themselves squashed together and largely by passed by Accrington. The first five minutes yeilded two excellent chances for Stanley.

Dale soldiered on but seemed fundamentally uncomfortable in this formation and spent a good deal of the time giving the ball away or scrambling it clear. A few chances did come Dale's way but all of them were spurned. Mr. Keane began his wingers mantra - and was only silenced on pain of violence.

It came as no surprise around the 35 minute mark when the fabulously monikered Aswad Thomas played in Whalley for a tap in. 1-0 Accrington. Cue fruit.

Due to my extended trip to the pie queue I missed what followed - but I am told by the venerable Mr. Mitchell that little changed. Imagine my surprise when I finally returned from my ordeal by teenager - that Dale had a penalty!

St. Adam stepped up confidently, drew the keeper and slotted it straight down the middle. 1-1. Exit fruit - for now.

Half time was illuminated by small boys playing five-a-side. Not quite 'kick-it-in-the-bin' but better than nothing. As the interval unfolded I took a look at the match program. Pretty much every page covered some aspect of the career of one Gary 'Jonah' Jones - on account of him now having made the most appearances for Dale - ever. Not much I can add to this - he is a great competitor, a great player, a good and worthy captain. We would be a much poorer team without him.

Mr. Keane's wingers winging must have permeated the dressing room - because as the second half began Dale had returned to 4-4-2. Basham taking station on the right wing. The result was immediate and dramatic.

Minutes into the half Perkins crossed for Jones who drilled the ball home from ten yards. 2-1 Dale. The pressence of Basham on the right provided Dale with a brilliant outlet which had been so noticably absent in the first period. Dale continued to push forward and it was now Stanley's turn to look all-at-sea. A good running cross from Basham let Le Fondre in to make it 3-1 and when Perkins intercepted some pedestrian Stanley passing; Le Fondre was in again for his third and Dale's fourth. Cancel all fruit.

Stanley looked utterly shell-shocked. Even the late inclusion of the prodigal Leighton McGivern for Stanley couldn't brighten up their afternoon.

Jonah and St. Adam left the field with about ten minutes to go to a tumultuous standing ovation. Very well deserved to.

Summary:

A dodgy start: an excellent finish. Credit is due to the Dale defence during the first half for averting a potential disaster.

The switch to 4-4-2 for the second period saw some of the most incisive play from Dale I have seen all season. Basham, Rundle, Perkins and Jonah were as men transformed in the second half. USS Howe played his part brilliantly. Mr. Le Fondre was genuinely breathtaking. Only the third Dale hat-trick I have ever seen. Awesome.

Stand up if you're going to Notts County!

Turner Watch:

Who knows? Possibly fighting crime in a lycra outfit.

16/03/08