Now that's what I call music

Rola Cola Sponsored English League Two
Accrington Stanley FC 2 - 4 Rochdale AFC

Journey

At some ungodly hour this morning 180 Rochdale fans set forth for Accrington - on foot.  It took me almost one second to decide that I wouldn't be joining them.

I would drive.  30 mins tops - mind you parking is a bit of a trick around the Crown Ground - so I set off early.  At 13:15 hrs I saddled up and headed over the hill.

30 mins passed.  In the midst of a vile tempest, I was sat in a traffic jam.  Granted quite a lot of Dale fans were making their way to Accrington - 1600 tickets sold -  but this seemed excessive.  I passed an accident - pretty minor - a few bent bumpers - but this wasn't causing the delay, although it did slow things down a bit.

45 mins passed.  Still tipping down - now completely stationery.

75 mins passed.  Another accident - on the other carriageway.  The whole carriageway was closed.  I won't describe what I saw.  If you saw it, you know what I mean.  If you didn't, you don't want to.  Sobering.

The closure on the dual carriageway combined with the roadworks that girded the approaches to Accrington meant that I wouldn't get to the Crown Ground until 15:10.  Having negotiated the disgruntled lady who handed out the press passes - 'are you gonna blame me for the traffic as well!' - I hot footed it to my seat - slipped on my headphones - apologised to the listening public and Mr. Culshaw, felt grateful to be there at all - and commenced my semi-informed wittering.

I should have walked.  I really should.

Weather 

Daffodils outside Aldi, cold, windy, pouring down - it must be spring again.

Food

The Stanley burger.  A work of genius.  Big burger, cheese, fried onions, choice of sauces - £3.  I had to wait until halftime to get my laughing tackle around one - but it was worth the wait.  About that diet...

Ground

The Crown Ground will probably never win any beauty contests - it is basic at best - but it has charm in spades.   The uncovered away end was packed to over flowing with boisterous Dale fans, the other end was manned by the formidable 'Stanley Ultra's' - complete with a drum and lungs like barrage ballon's - they sang solidly for an hour, bouncing up and down like angry Zulu's.  A good old fashioned derby day.  To add a touch of 'jumpers for goalpost's' to the scene, a knot of boys had clambered up a mound of earth behind the away end - to watch the game for free.  Marvellous.

News

Told you so.  Craig Dawson.  League Two Player of the season.  As if there was ever any doubt...

Not out.  On Boxing day 2007 I wrote my first report.  This is my 100th.  Sincere thanks to both of my readers - I couldn't have done it without you.  To mark a solid rather than spectacular century, the nice folks at Evilscheme - http://www.evilscheme.co.uk/ - have done me a fancy new site banner.  Enjoy. 

Action

Your team for today:

GK: Fielding
Def: Wiseman, Stanton, McArdle, Kennedy(T)
Mid: Taylor, Jones, Kennedy(J)
For: Dagnall, O'Grady, Thompson

Bench: Arthur, Dawson, Flynn, Holness, Toner, Obadeyi, Higginbotham

Dale have enjoyed a good deal of success against Accy since they rejoined the Football League.  Five good wins and a solid draw.  What the scorelines failed to reflect is that most of those games had been pretty close affairs with Stanley giving every bit as good as they got - and on most occasions being pretty unlucky to be on the wrong end of the scoreline.  Then they went and did it - a composed, well planned performance at Spotland in October saw the 'little team that could' finally get their just reward.  What it meant was that this tie was far from a gimme.  Accy have promotion aspirations of their own.  Today would be tough.

On a pitch that had a lot in common with a ploughed field, Mr. Salisbury got things underway...

I could describe the first half in detail - but I won't dwell on it too much.  Accy were pretty much on top from the off Dale had plenty of defending to do - Taylor proved to be the linch pin of the rear guard - Symes could and probably should have opened the scoring but for sharp reactions from Fielding, Kenndy(J) had Dale's best chance but spooned it over the bar from six yards, .

Even if I had wanted to elaborate, I couldn't.  Whenever anything interesting happened an elderly lady jumped up in front of me and remonstrated with players and officials alike.  I had a good view of the back of her coat - but not much else.

As I munched on my illegal half time burger, two familiar faces appeared through the crowd: Mr. Keane and Keane jnr.  Not odd in itself - other than that we were in the Main Stand.  He had finally arrived 30 minutes into the game having braved the traffic - and been put into the Main  Stand because they couldn't squeeze another soul into the away end.  Having reflected briefly on a pretty poor first half for Dale, he disappeared off in search of the legendary Stanley Burger.    

Rochdale started the second half far better than they had left the first - but just as it semed Dale were getting the upper hand - Stanley struck.  With the Rochdale back line's offside trap in disarray Billy Kee deftly slipped the ball through to Symes,  Fielding advanced, Symes didn't flinch.  A cool, placed finish did the rest.  1-0 Accrington.

Four minutes later all seemed lost.  Billy Kee once again did the damage - his inch perfect pass found Miles, once again Fielding stood no chance.  2-0 Accrington.

As Mr. Culshaw summarised the goal I quietly prepared myself for the worst.  There was surely no way back now.  Dale had barely got into the game and now they were 2-0 down.  Damage limitation at best from here on, I thought.

Gary Jones would have no such defeatism...

Two minutes later he popped up in the six yard box to turn in O'Grady's low cross.  2-1!

Within moments, Thompson seemed to have equalized from close range - only for the linesman's waving stick to rule it out.  A heartbeat later Gary Jones popped up on the edge of the area - his drilled shot deflected wildly leaving Accy's keeper, Bouzanis, cursing.  2-2!

The fightback was on.  Three minutes later, an actual fight was on.  As best as I can understand, Taylor and Symes had a bit of a roll on the ground - some punches were thrown and both saw straight red cards.  I wish I could tell you more - but I was looking at old lady coat.

Minutes later, a very strange half got stranger.  From 2-0 down - Dale took the lead.  Dagnall's shot was charged down, Higginbotham swept in and tee'd up O'Grady for his twentieth of the season.  2-3!

Accrington were reeling.  What had been a pretty traumatic few minutes was about to get much, much worse.  Bouzanis attempted to clear up field, the ball hit Dagnall in the kisser and flew into the path of Higginbotham.  With Bouzanis miles out of position, Higginbotham had a quick look and let fly from just inside the Accrington half.  Bouzanis looked devastated, Higginbotham looked delighted.  2-4! 

Mr. Salisbury blew his whistle to bring matters to a close on the most extraordinary 45 minutes of football I have ever seen - including the bits which were mostly coat.

Speak Your Brains

Your cast for today: me and 1600 delerious Dale fans.

• Bournemouth lost - Dale are now 11 points clear.
• 2-0 down to 2-4 up - now that's what I call a comeback!
• You have got to feel sorry for Accrington - they had done everything right - John Coleman will be having nightmares about this one for months.
• Gary Jones.  Right man, right place, right time.
• Kallum Higginbotham.  Only scores two kinds of goal: Crucial - Dagenham, Outrageous - Crewe and again today.  The boy is back to his best.
• As I left the Crown Ground I passed the away end - hundreds had stayed behind and they were singing:  'AND NOW YA GONNA BELIEVE US!  THE DALE ARE GOIN UP!'.  Now that's what I call music.    

A Grand Day Out.

Rola Cola Sponsored English League Two
Shrewsbury Town FC 0 - 1 Rochdale AFC

Journey

It's 09:45.  I'm standing under the dreaming spire of the Town Hall clock tower with Mr. Keane.  We are waiting for the coach to arrive.

In the chaotic aftermath of the Dagenham game, I handed a bloke I had never met £10 on the understanding that I would have a seat on the 'unofficial' coach to Shrewsbury.  When you put it like that - it seems pretty risky.  It was a bit of a relief when the coach rolled up.

Such is the demand to see Dale these days that the official coaches simply aren't enough.  So, a couple of enterprising fans had organised this one.  Pretty impressive.  Cheers lads.

As we waited, a trickle of fans arrived - Mr. Booth and Mr. Murray from my trip to Cheltenham amongst them - and before long the coach was full.  After a brief delay while cans and bottles were grudgingly surrendered to our lady driver, we were heading south to a enthusiastic chorus of 'Away the Dale'.

I have been to Shrewsbury a few times - I went last season.  I have never been to Shrewsbury the way we went today.  It took quite a while.  Well over two hours in fact.  On a coach with a toilet which seemed to be permanently engaged, this was not a welcome development for some.  When we made landfall at the Brooklands Hotel - those charging to he toilet almost outnumbered those charging to the bar.  

In the warm spring sunshine Mr. Keane, Coat Dave, John, Lee and I stood on the lawn (yeah, I know - a lawn! fancy) outside the Brooklands, with a pint of Shropshire Gold in hand we discussed the demise of Chester and Farsley, the shocking record of Durham City (played 27, lost 27, scored 16, conceded 137), watched a bizarre tribute to Michael Jackson (at least that is what I hope it was) - and prepared ourselves for the imminent prospect of helicopters.     

A grand day out - and we hadn't even seen the game yet.

Weather  

Warm and sunny, punctuated by freezing cold when cloud got in the road.

Food  

Here's the thing.  I'm on a diet.  So a beef and horseradish roll would be bang out of order - even at the bargain price of £2.  A second beef and horseradish roll - well that would be just outrageous.  Add in a chicken and mushroom pie - I'd be taking the mick.  Don't tell the missus.

Ground

It's new!  It's shiny!  It's the Prostar Stadium! 

The opinion of the fans on the coach seemed to be that the Gay Meadow - Shrewsbury's old ground - won out in one key respect.  It had soul.  Maybe the Prostar will 'wear in' in time - but for the moment at least, it has all the charm of a shopping centre.

There was one rather quaint feature though.  A sign in the back of one of the stands which read - 'BREATH ON 'EM SALOP!'  I don't know what this means.  I found it a little troubling.

Weird signage aside, over 700 Dale fans had made the trip - nicely filling the away stand.  They were just getting the singing going - when a helicopter turned up.

News

Masked hero?  After his unscheduled trip to the ground last week, Awesome Dawson has been despatched to 'that' London to have a protective face mask fitted.  Apparently he's bust summat in his fizog.  Can I be first to suggest a Spiderman design?

Silverware already?  Mr. Flitcroft, amongst others, will be heading to 'that' London for the Football League awards dinner.  My advice?  Take a big bag - awards can go in the bag - but so can the dessert trolley.

Action

Your team for today:

GK: Fielding
Def: Wiseman, McArdle, Stanton, Kennedy (T)
Mid: Taylor, Jones, Kennedy (J)
For: Higginbotham, Dagnall, O'Grady

Good news - Wiseman fit again.  Bad news - Dawson (in spite of Spiderman mask) isn't.  Good news - McArdle slots back in at centre half. 

If I might just spare a moment to reflect on the surreal events prior to kick off.    Out of the spring sky, an RAF helicopter appeared, landed in the centre circle, a be-helmeted chap got out and handed the match ball to Shrewsbury's club mascot, the helicopter lifted off, piroueted - bowing to each stand in turn and spiraled off into the sky.  Probably not something I am likely to see again anytime soon.  With barely a moment to digest what we had just seen - Mr. Culshaw and I were live on air.  I narrowly managed to avoid blurting 'HELICOPTER!' to the listening public.  Always remain proffesional - that's my moto.

Mr. D'Urso blew his whistle - which Shrewsbury striker, Jamie Cureton, must have taken as a signal to hide - and we were underway. 

After the Lincoln experience, Dale seemed in no mood to be stifled out of the game.  In the opening minutes a speculative Tom Kennedy effort from range found the Shrew's defence dozing and their 'keeper, sometime Dale loanee David Button, calmly watching the ball in flight.  Kennedy's effort bent freakishly, almost sneaking past the onlooking Button - but it didn't bend quite enough - the post came to the rescue.

Dale continued to press - but the next serious effort came from the home side.  Benjamin Van Der Broek profitted from slack Rochdale passing and ran most of the length of the field before unleashing a fizzing shot which had Fielding at full stretch to tip it over the bar.  It would be Shewsbury's only significant effort of the half.

Higginbotham, Dagnall and O'Grady went up a gear in response.  Shrewsbury seemed curiously disinterested in anything other than blocking Dale out.  The balance of the half was played at or around the edge of the Shrewsbury area.  Jones, Dagnall and Taylor all had chances to open the scoring for Rochdale - but each time Button was equal to the challenge.  The half ended with Tom Kennedy rapping the home side's cross bar with a free kick.

A massively dominant Dale could be excused for feeling slightly frustrated as Mr. D'Urso indicated half time.  Jamie Cureton re-emerged from where ever he had been lurking to trot down the tunnel.

As the various media folks dispersed in search of coffee or whatever - a local radio guy quipped to his commentary partner, 'the helicopter is coming back to deliver another ball for the second half - so that our lads can have a go.'

I also made a startling discovery.  I am still basically twelve years old.  When the tannoy man announced that the half time draw had been won by Mr. B. Elland - I sniggered until the second half started.  Oh come on!  B. Elland!         

Mr. D'Urso got things going again, Jamie Cureton promptly vanished and Shewsbury found a toehold in the game.  It was fairly untidy stuff - but amidst the scruffy play, the Shrews forced a handful of corners.  One of which saw former Dale loanee Shane Cansdell-Sherriff (sometime favourite of the club shop's lettering lady) head the ball against the post and then almost capitalise on the rebound - fortunately for Dale no more than the side netting was troubled.

With Shrewsbury clawing their way back into the game Dale needed a little something extra to make their early dominance count.  Around the hour mark Joe Thompson trotted on.  Minutes later he was most alert to a tempting delivery from a Tom Kennedy free kick - Button dithered - Thompson didn't.  1-0 Dale!

Thompson and Jason Kennedy both had chances to extend the lead but wayward finishing spared Button serious bother.  With Dale firmly back in their stride, the home side found themselves down to ten men - Dagnall had turned Cansdell-Sherriff and was haring towards the homeside's goal when the big Aussie pulled off a text book Aussie rules tackle.  Mr. D'Urso had little to think about - straight red.

Jones and Dagnall both had chances to extend the lead as the clock wound down - but Button was equal to the challenge.  Jamie Cureton briefly reappeared - whilst being subbed for Mr. Simpson's little boy.  Shrewsbury won a late corner - Button charged up field to make his presence felt.  All for nought.  1-0 it stayed.

Speak Your Brains 

Your cast for today: Mr. Keane, Coat Dave, John, Lee, Me and a coach full of ecstatic Dale fans.

• Bournemouth didn't play today - Dale move nine points clear at the top.
• Shrewsbury barely played today - and dropped out of the play-off zone.  A very odd performance from an undeniably good side.
• Chant of the day: Keith Hill's Barbour jacket - to the tune of Keith Hill's barmy army.
• If you have any idea where Jamie Cureton was between 3 and 5pm - please contact the management of Shrewsbury Town FC.
• Mr. Keane made a confession.  He had been 'bolting' again.  He has been doing this for years.  If you wish to see a man of middling years charge gazelle-like to the touchline to greet a triumphant goal scorer - I suspect you can catch the evidence on the Football League Show.  If you are of a nervous disposition - maybe you should leave it.
• B. Elland. Phnarrrr.
• Durham City recorded their first win of the season against FC United this afternoon.
• Amid a seemingly endless chorus of 'Blue Army!' and yet more Michael Jackson impersonations we headed north.  Truly a grand day out.

Dreaming spires

Rola-Cola Sponsored English League Two
Rochdale AFC 1 - 1 Lincoln City FC

Journey

Although I am a foreigner, I am intensely proud of this town, woe betide anyone who pokes fun at Rochdale while I am around.  But I am not so patriotic that I am blind to the plight of the place.  Two World Wars, a depression, numerous recessions and a heapin helpin of Mrs. Thatcher's economic theories have kicked the stuffing out of the place.

Amidst the signs of decline there is one place that reminds you of what the town once was.  The Town Hall.  It comes from a very different time.  A time when Rochdale was a white hot bed of industry.  A place where the very latest technology was developed, used and exported around the world.  In it's day it was like Sillicon Valley.  People made money here - big money.  Granted, the workers were paid in buttons, children knew the value of keeping their head's down and making it to 40 years old was rare - but this was a go ahead place on the cutting ege of technology - and to express this spirit, the town fathers splurged big time on the Town Hall.  It is a statement of what those bearded old duffers believed about Rochdale, set into stone:  We are going places!

Now, it looks a bit, well, out of place against a backdrop of neglect and horrible town planning decisions.  It's so big, so ornate, so... well just - so.  A friend of mine was visiting from the colonies a few months ago - I showed him the Town Hall - the best he could manage was 'WOW'.  

As the mills and engineeing works were flattened and tarmac'd over, claiming benefits became a rare growth area, the best and brightest moved and the go ahead spirit ebbed away - the Town Hall stood as a silent reminder of what this place was about, once upon a time.  Down the years, under the massive stone spire of the Town Hall clock the people of Rochdale may have occasionally daydreamed that the boom times would return .  Sadly, the Town Hall couldn't help.

As I drove up Sandy Lane today, four spires reared up above the trees.  Not stone, but steel - topped with halogen lights.  Under them just over 3000 of the towns folk of Rochdale have stopped their daydreaming.  The dream is becoming real.  That message, set into the stones of the Town Hall by those bearded old fella's is on the loose again: We are going places!

Weather

Cold and grey.  Rochdale weather.

Food   

On the minutes today so I didn't even manage a coffee.  In any case, I am on a diet.  The wife has been very clear on this point.

Away Support

Maybe 100, probably less.  As the Imp's are lurking just above the drop zone, the incentive to make the long trip north was probaly not too strong.  Those who did cheered like mad un's.

News

Dawson/off.  Our Craig's new contract has brought a flurry of new interest.  Swansea made a final bid of £750k in mid week, only to see it turned down.  But interest has only intensified, there were so many scouts at Spotland today I thought I was at a jamboree.

Ticket shmicket.  Accrington away.  All Ticket.  Crazy.

About Keith.  I didn't hear about it until Wednesday lunchtime - but as you will now know, Macc's manager Keith Alexander died suddenly on Tuesday night.  He was a passionate football man who lived and breathed every second of every game - and returned the opposing fans banter with interest - and a smile.  He will be sorely missed.

Action

Your team for today:

GK: Fielding

Def: McArdle, Dawson, Stanton, Kennedy(T)

Mid: Jones, Kenndy(J), Toner
For: Atkinson, Dagnall, O'Grady

Bench: Arthur, Wiseman, Flynn, Thompson, Taylor, Obadeyi, Higginbotham

After a succesful experiment with 4-3-3 at Macclesfield (albeit a bit fortunately) Dale continued with the succesful formula today.  An injury to Scott Wiseman would give Rory McArdle a rare opportunity in the somewhat unfamilliar right full-back berth.  Popular loan signing Will Atkinson would be making his swan song in black and blue this afternoon before his return to Hull.
  

Dale started brightly.  Atkinson created a predictable amount of trouble for the visitors defences, Dagnall and O'Grady combined well to create the first serious effort of the half requiring a smart intervention from Pearce to avert early disaster for the Imps.

At the other end, perennial League Two journeyman, Drew Broughton, went about his grim business.  His physical presence caused real problems for the Dale defence and earned Broughton his first 'that's your last chance' chat with Mr. Foster.  He would go on to have half dozen similar chats - but no matter.

Lincoln sought to contain, stifle and close down - they did a very effective job, Rochdale struggled to wriggle out of the men of Lincolnshire's straight-jacket.  On 27 minutes the strategy paid a huge, unexpected divided.  The Imps pressed to the edge of the Dale area, crisp passing had the Dale defence baffled and sprang Chris Herd free.  He had opened the scoring at Sincil Bank - a tidy, placed finish today saw the on loan Aston Villa man repeat the trick .  1-0 Lincoln.

Dale responded.  Dagnall, O'Grady and Dawson all had good chances to peg the visitors back, but sharp work from Rob Burch in the Imp's goal meant that Dale would go into half time in the unusual position of being behind.

In a half of few incidents, punctuated by a lengthy study by Lincoln into just how long a freekick or throw in could be dragged out, there was one moment of drama.  Dawson challengend for the ball in the Lincoln area and landed awkwardly with an Imps defender on top of him.  He stayed down.  The Spotland faithful held their breath.  A flotilla of scouts turned ashen and lunged for their mobile's.  Eventually Dawson got up.  A little groggy, but ready to carry on.  You cannot harm him with conventional weapons.  He is Awesome afterall.

Mr. Hill's half time pep talk was clearly pretty much to the point.  Mr. Foster got things going again and Dale roared forward.  Within seconds Dale had won a corner, seconds later players and fans alike howled as Mr. Foster declined a cut and dried penalty claim for blantant hand ball.  

Lincoln reeled as Rochdale powered forward.  Toner almost pounced, but once again Burch intervened.  Atkinson had a free header, Burch to the rescue again.  O'Grady and the Kennedy brothers also weighed in with efforts on goal - but poor direction failed to trouble the mercurial Burch.  Lincoln held firm and Mr. Foster was lenient beyond reason as the Imp's attempted to run the clock down at every opportunity.

Higginbotham joined the assault on the Lincoln goal on 64 and perhaps it was that extra injection of pace and trickery that finally undid the Imps.  On 70 minutes Dale equalized.  

A clever flick on from O'Grady found Dagnall in the box, back to goal and hemmed in on all sides by Lincoln defenders.  From what seemed a hopeless position, somehow he turned and unleashed a shot.  Lincoln's Joe Anderson may not remember, or may prefer to forget what happened next.  Whatever the case, with the aid of a meaty deflection off the Lincoln man the ball was in the net.  1-1!

Dale pushed for a winner.  Higginbotham and Dagnall having the best efforts although neither troubled Burch.  A mixture a full blooded defending and judicious dawdling saw Lincoln to full time with the scores tied.

As the clock wound down, Drew Broughton had the last of his 'last chances' and Mr. Foster finally got his yellow card out.

Speak Your Brains

Your cast for today: Mr. Keane, Keane jnr, Me and a father and son who we shared a table with in the Dale Bar.

• 
  
  Bournemouth won today - Dale stay six points clear with a game in hand over the men of Dorset.
• 
  
  Credit to Lincoln - time wasting aside - a resolute performance and a point well earned.
• 
  
  Craig Dawson picked up a yellow card today - nothing odd about that you might say?  It was the first one of his professional career.
• 
  
  Mr. Foster was genuinely poor.  Failed to control the game in any measure.  His handling of Broughton's antics was hysterical - when the card was finally produced, ironic applause rang out around Spotland.
• 
  
  We played an informal game of 'Dale One Downmanship' with our table mates.  At Owd Trafford, fans 'One Up' each other: I saw Best and Law play, I was at the Champions League final(s) etc.  At Spotland - it seems to work the other way round:  I was there when we lost 7-1, I remember watering cans on the shirts  etc, etc, etc.  The more tragic and humiliating the tale - the better.  Dad won.  He missed one of the wins in 73-74 due to work.  There were only two that season. 
• 
  
  In spite of being held to a draw at home, the atmosphere in the Dale Bar felt like Rochdale had just won.  No doom, no agonising, no recriminations.  The result of a specific game doesn't seem to matter anymore.  The end result is what counts now.  According to Mr. Keane's calculations - 11 points from 12 games will do the trick.  Under the dreaming spires of Spotland - we are going places.

The ballad of Chris O'Grady

Rola Cola Sponsored English League Two

Rochdale AFC 4 - 0 Rotherham United FC

Journey

25th January 1986.  It was a Saturday.  Three elf faced Norwegians had just gone to number one in the charts with a song about a lack of curtains in their mum's front room's.  As a result  I developed a brief fascination with hair gel and ripped jeans.  But more importantly, in a hospital somewhere in Nottingham, a baby boy named Christopher James made his debut appearance for the O'Grady family.

If this was a real profile thingy - on telly 'n that - we would cut to a montage here.  Chris's dodgy school photo's and dodgier holiday photo's intercut with bits from popular TV show's of the time - Power Rangers would definitely be in there - voiced over by Johnny Vegas and concluding with a picture of young Mr. O'Grady holding a plastic trophy aloft on some wind blasted playing field, whilst grinning like a mad un.  Fortunately this isn't TV.

In 2000 he started training with Leicester City and having got his feet under the table signed on as a pro at the Crisp Bowl in 2003.  Between 2003 and 2007 he was a bit part player for Leicester - although he did score against Inter Milan in a pre-season friendly.  And so he began to walk the earth.  A loan spell at Notts County (including his first trip to Spotland) and a long loan spell at Rushden (and to a lesser degree, Diamonds) kept the young striker out of mither.

When Rotherham United rolled up to the Walkers Stadium in early 2007 waving a fist full of cash, he was on the move again.  Things started well.  He would hit the back of the net 13 times in a season and a half for the Millers.  And then it all went wrong.  Rotherham took a spin through the administration car wash and offered Mr.O'Grady the exciting opportunity to work without pay.  He declined, the fans took umbridge and he rapidly found himself heading along the M62 to Oldham.

His wanderings continued: from there he went out on loan to Bury, and Bradford, and then Stockport all with little success - he finally washed up at Spotland last August.  Nerves around Spotland were still raw after the departure of Mrs. LeFondre's little boy to Rotherham - few expected much from the nomadic striker.  His debut - ironically against Rotherham, where he endured 90 minutes of boo's and sundry abuse - gave little clue of what was to come.

The rest you already know.  Tonight Rotherham and Adam LeFondre are back in town...

Weather 

Blue skies and sunshine during the day gave way to a dark, cloudless and above all freezing night.   Mr. Culshaw and I seemed to have had the same idea - wear everything you own.  We looked like Tinky-Winky and Dipsy.  Naturally, I was Tinky-Winky. 

Food

No thanks.  I'd had a big tea.

Away Support

Loads more than Bradford.  That should put the cat amongst the pigeons.

600 - maybe a few more.

News

Taking your ball in. Ronnie Moore has taken his ball in - and by 'ball' I mean Jason Taylor and by 'in' I mean refusing to let him play for Dale tonight.  How popular were you at school Ronnie?

Hurry up and wait.  Fielding not selected to play in some England U21 game - meaning he can play for Dale tonight.  Which is nice. 

More Awesome.  Dale heart throb Craig Dawson sign's an extension to his contract until 2012 - the week after media legend Stuart Hall announced on Radio 5 Live that our Craig will play for England one day.  Then a man in a bee costume ran on carrying a bucket of red water - which spoiled things a bit.

...and the winner is!  PFA League Two player of the month for February 2010.  Chris O'Grady.   

Action

Your team for tonight:

GK: Fielding
Def: McArdle, Stanton, Dawson, Kennedy(T)
Mid: Jones, Kennedy(J), Toner
For: Atkinson, Dagnall, O'Grady

Being a Dale fan, the words 'top of the table clash' and 'promotion six pointer' haven't figured heavily in my vocabulary down the years.  But this was just that.  Add in a slightly unconvincing win over Macc at the weekend - courtesy of Mr. O'Grady's boot and about fifteen deflections, the return to Spotland of Mrs. LeFondre's little boy and an undoubtedly warm reception for our Chris from the away fans - and you have a very exciting prospect.  Two good sides, both vying for promotion, one goal either way could be enough to extend Dale's lead at the top of League Two - or catapult Rotherham into the automatic promotion berths.  What is it real football journalists say - oh yes - 'It's too close to call here at Spotland, now back to the studio for some more sleaze about John Terry'.  

In plummeting temperatures, Mr. Tanner lit the blue touch paper and retired to a safe distance.  Rotherham ploughed into the Dale defences, seemingly intent on wrapping things up in the first ten minutes.  Their best chance came when Jaap Stam look-e-like-e Kevin Ellison smashed a shot goalward - only to see it flash wide of the goal frame.

Dale were fighting a stubborn rear guard against a pacy, powerful and unswervingly determined Millers outfit.  Just when it seemed that the pressure might crush them, up popped O'Grady on the Rotherham left.  As he has done so many times this season, he drove to the byline, turned his man, and flashed a cross into the box.  Dagnall may have been guilty of profligacy on Saturday - not this time.  1-0 Dale!

Dale could have been two to the good moments later - but Warrington in the Millers goal pulled off a fine save to deny Dawson's header.  Rotherham retaliated immediately forcing three hastily improvised saves from Fielding in a matter of minutes.  In each case Fielding was almost undone by the ball swerving freakishly in the cold air or bouncing erratically off the uneven surface.

It was genuinely end to end stuff as Rotherham poured forward seeking an equaliser and Dale parried and counter attacked.  A hatful of chances presented themselves to both sides - but Dale maintained their lead and had probably the best chance to trouble the scorer when Tom Kennedy's late free kick was acrobatically fended away by Warrington.

At half time Mr. Culshaw and I were briefly joined by Mr. Sharples from the Dale Player commentary team.  He made a prediction: 'If Dale score again, they will score a lot more'.  In the tradition of wild eyed, mystic type folk he promptly disappeared into thin air*.

The second half started much as the first had - but Dale made the running this time.  A sequence of corners culminated in a powerful volley from Jones which cleared the Sandy.  Rotherham roared back.  Harrison's long range effort through the crowded area had Fielding at full stretch to deal with it.  From the resulting corner Fielding misjudged and LeFondre's header seemed destined for the back of the net - but Atkinson somehow interved and hacked the sometime Dale favourite's effort off the line.

Moments later Jason Kennedy came close to opening his account for Dale - but good defending and tame shooting meant his wait would continue.  Rochdale were well on top by now - but a second goal eluded them, until Chris O'Grady picked up he ball on the Dale left, romped to the byline and drilled the ball across the face of goal.  In point of fact, there wasn't a Dale player within yards of the ball - but Gavin Gunning flapped.  His mis-cued clearance cannoned off Green and past a helpless Warrington.  2-0 Dale!

Maybe it was simply the second goal, maybe it was the manner of the second goal - but Rotherham collapsed.  Moments later Dawson rose above the crowd to meet Tom Kennedy's corner and once again Warrington was undone.  3-0 Dale!

In spite of receiving a seemingly endless stream of abuse from the away fans, Chris O'Grady had pretty well run the show for Dale tonight, Sharps, Fenton and later Gunning had endured a pretty miserable evening trying to mark him, he had created two of Dale's goals - there was just one thing missing...

With sixteen minutes to go he sprung the Millers offside trip, foxed his floundering marker, picked his spot - and passed the ball into the net.  He may have grinned in the direction of the rapidly departing away fans.  4-0 Dale!

Atkinson, O'Grady, Jones and Dagnall all had opportunities to rub salt into the Millers wounds - but 4-0 it stayed.  By the final whistle the away fans had already left.

Man of the match?  Chris O'Grady.

* Actually he went for a brew - but that doesn't sound at all mysterious does it?         

Speak Your Brains

Your cast for tonight: Me.

• Dale go eight points clear with a game in hand over Bournemouth.
• Until the second goal, this really could have gone either way.  Rotherham were excellent to that point.  After it they simply collapsed.
• It was good to see Alfie again, but better to see his little head poking out of Nathan Stanton's back pocket for most of the game.
• Mr. Sweetmore once again courted controversy - instead of simply announcing the attendance, he had to embelish didn't he!  'The latest team to be footballed to death at Spotland....'  Ronnie Moore appeared to be having a seizure - mind you, so did Keith Hill.
• A great performance from Ciaran Toner - good to have you back big fella.
• Craig Dawson picked up his first yellow card for Dale tonight.  Yep that's right - first.
• The sun always shines on C.O.G...