Rise

Rochdale AFC 3 - 0 Notts County FC

Journey:

The voyage back from the Principality of Essex was a long one. My SatNav, Jane, achieved some form of critical meltdown and declined to provide any assistance in getting Mr. Keane, Mr. Rigby and I home. Road sign's were missed and we ended up coming back via the M1, M62 route. Like I said, a long one.

It had been a great weekend. Truly great. Friendships renewed, cooked breakfast's consumed, the occasional small cup of beer and Mr. Cootes got his dishes washed, dried and put away. It was just that kind of weekend.

But there was the small matter of that 20 minutes. That 20 minutes were a 2-1 lead turned into a 3-2 defeat. 20 minutes where triumph turned to tragedy...

As we dropped down off the Pennines and rounded the bend in the M62 - the one where you can see all of Rochdale spread out below you - a giant yellow sun was creeping towards the safety of the horizon. As the sun set over Rochdale, it felt like the sun may also be setting on Dale's season.

...and so to tonight.

In spite of my previous performance Mr. Culshaw had invited me to take up the second chair for tonight's live match coverage on Roch Valley Radio. I was supposed to meet him at 6:30 - but traffic on the M60 meant that by 6:50 I was just joining Roch Valley Way. I was in a rush.

Past the Cemetary Hotel and onwards up Sandy Lane... and then I saw something that almost stopped me in my tracks. A brilliant glow coming from up the road. A great halo of light over Greave. A sunrise over Spotland. A sunrise at five to seven on a winters evening.

You could explain it away as the effect of hugely powerful halogen lamps on the heavy fog shrouding Rochdale - or - you could call it an omen. It's entirely up to you - but picking option 'A' (lamps/fog) would somewhat ruin the mood. But as I say, entirely up to you...

Weather:

I think I have covered the fog thing. However, in case you were in any doubt - it was really foggy.

Food:

Due to my commentary responsibilities, tonight would be a meat and potato pie free zone. That said, it wouldn't be a food free zone. More on this later.

Away Support:

I believe the song goes a little something like this:

'You're going home in a taxi! You're going home in a taxi! Hoooome in a taaaaxi! You're going home in a taxiiii!'.

Very disappointing considering the hundreds of Rochdale fans who had made their way to Meadow Lane one frigid Tuesday night last October.

Action:

After the performance on Saturday there was little doubt that there would be changes for tonight. Wiseman would replace Ramsden at right full-back. Toner would replace Keltie in central midfield and Dagnall would replace St. Adam at centre forward.

I slid into my commentary position, donned my headphones and waited for the game to begin.

...and waited ...and waited ...and...waited...

The kick off hadn't been postponed due to the fog. The game was going on right before my eyes. It was just that nothing was actually happening.

Chastened by the Dagenham experience Rochdale had set themselves up in a 4-2-3-1 formation - with the central midfield almost bolted to the back four. Add this to the Magpies naturally defensive instincts and you have a recipe for - well - quite a lengthy period of not very much. Long intervals passed where the only action was Fielding hoofing the ball upfield to Lillis in the County goal - who would then return the favour. End to end stuff - but not perhaps as we know it.

Then, as the clock trudged towards half time Dale seemed to collectively decide: 'well, as we're here - lets have a go'. The game finally took flame and a series of good opportunities for Dale followed including a sequence of three corners.

In the dying seconds the Shaker Maker picked up on the Rochdale left, drove infield and layed a neat pass off to Jones before continuing his run. Jones burst into the County area and delivered a low cross - to who else but - the Shaker Maker. He turned, he stumbled, he fell - but somehow contrived to chip the ball over a sprawling Lillis in the process. 1-0 Dale!

Half time and I was in for a little treat. Being part of the press corp meant that I could go into the press lounge. Now 'lounge' may be over doing things a little - it is a small room under the Main Stand, accessed via the kit room - but I do now understand the attraction of sports journalism.

They have sandwiches and individual pork pies and sausage rolls and all the tea and coffee you can handle... and, get this, it's all free! Free I tell you! Unfortunately I was trying to create a good impression tonight so I had to stifle the urge to dive in face first. You have no idea how hard it was. You really don't...

And so to the second half. After the tedious dirge that was the first half, the second half began brightly. Rochdale reverted to 4-4-2 and in spite of a hopeful early penalty shout against Stanton for handball, Dale were very much in control.

County continued to counter attack at pace - just as they had in the first half - but without ever generating a clear cut opportunity.

Dale made changes: Rundle on for Adams, Buckley off for St. Adam - but In spite of this and remaining very much on top it looked like 1-0 to Rochdale it would stay.

With twenty minutes to go Wiseman picked up the ball and drove forward on the Rochdale right, ending with a neat pass to St. Adam who thumped a cross into the County area where it found Dagnall unhindered just feet from goal. Quite which part of Dagnall converted the opportunity is unclear - it probably doesn't matter. 2-0!

It all seemed rather easy. The only area of concern was St. Adam's footwear. In truth, words don't really do those bad boys justice. Lets just say that they are not a colour you would see in nature and that in spite of the fog, I had no trouble spotting him. Mind you, nor would low flying aircraft.

As the clock wound down, Wiseman once again drove down the right - delivering a defence splitting pass for St. Adam to sprint onto. Perhaps the resulting effort was intended as a cross - however, by some means the ball contrived to squirm under the pouncing Lillis and ended up in the back of the net. 3-0!

As the smiling Rochdale players made their way to the tunnel I felt the urge to rise - and applaud. Granted, I almost garroted myself on the headphone cable - but I couldn't help myself.

Summary:

Ok - lets not get carried away. The first half was pretty awful - only rescued by an instant of endeavour from Buckley. However, once in the lead there was really only one team in it. County did not have the change of gear displayed so effectively by Lincoln and Dagenham. Once they were behind they had little hope of recovering.

All in all a decent performance - Dagnall is worthy of special mention for his solo vigil upfront in the first half, Thompson had a good game - there is some way to go but he seems to improve with every appearance. However, and in spite of St. Adam's day-glo boots, the man of the hour for me was Wiseman - it has taken a while but we are finally getting to see the player who tore Rochdale apart at the Darlington Arena last season. Well I did tell you...

3 points, 3 goals and a third clean sheet for the season. Rochdale AFC rise again.

Turner Watch:

If you have seen The Clown Prince of Spotland recently - do let me know. We are beginning to miss him.

27/01/09