Post-Match Thread and Ratings Rochdale 3-4 Southend United

[fbm]

This is what happens when we have a full squad and a strong bench, neither of which we've had until the last part of the season.

Great team selection by Maher... Walker actually ran the defence ragged and softened them up... Bonne did what he does best - the dirty work - and ran the channels brilliantly and for once we used them. Fab pass from GSM for Bonne to set up the equaliser.

Excellent substitutions and in a way, their 3rd was the catalyst for that. At 2-1, those subs don't get made at 60 mins.

Maher has a plan that when it works, is fantastic, but when it doesn't, unless we have the strength in depth within the squad, it looks as though he doesn't have a Plan B. He clearly does however and has forgotten more about coaching than any of us will ever learn or know.

Tonight is one of those games that will live long in the memory and rank alongside the greatest games this club has ever had.

 

[South Bank Hank]

I may have only watched in on a couple of big tellies at the ground but I am waaaaaay too wired to be thinking about sleep right now!

 

[Shrimper44]

Drop Hayes and we might have a chance?

You obviously didn't see the first class save he made.

 

[Jim Levenstein]

Well, that was amazing

 

[TVOS1907]

Obviously I'm going to drown my sorrows for two months and work out how long it takes to get to Truro, but just wanted to wish you all the best against Forest Green and I hope you enjoyed your visit to Rochdale (outwith the football) tonight.

Cheers.

 

[JB Shrimper]

As predicted all those hovering over the keyboard to slag Maher off magically emerged at 3 1 down....so predictable.
Very quiet now. Amazing result, led once again by an amazing gaffer who is owed so much by this fan base. Phenomenal, nay obscene commitment shown by all those on attendance and absolutely by those on the pitch led by the indomitable king kevin Maher.
Amazing stuff...see you at FGR

Good God man can you just have a day off?

 

[Realist]

Feel sorry for anyone that didn’t go to that game. It’s up there with the play off final.

 

[Rob1920]

Just got in. Did I miss anything?

 

[yogi bear up the cagire]

At 3-1 down I was considering how calm I was.......really, I thought, we'd done well to get this far. Our second goal I received rather calmly.....the third one was a different matter. Extra time was not what I needed when I'm getting up early for a hike early tomorrow morning. The state in which I finished the game means that sleep may still be a little way off. Surely one of the games which will be remembered for a long time in our memories. We may have made great comebacks before but have we ever made one in such an important game? Really exhausted and lost for words.

 

[WestyReturns]

Absolutely incredible. What a result! Not sure what to say other than nearly brought tears to my eyes. We can do this!

 

[Barling Magna]

From the Rochdale Fans Forum:

"Something almost inevitable about that. You always felt that this team had it in them to crumble. The fighting attitude and never say die approach from Southend is completely absent from our team. That comes from the manager. I doubt very much that after a 4th place finish JM will be going anywhere but make no mistake - we will never get out of this division with him in charge."

"Really bad decision making when it comes to subs has cost us tonight. McNulty has to acknowledge that and accept he got wrong. Too many players impacted by one substitution. We were saying before the game that the worry was that he maybe had too many options. And so it came to pass.

All night long Southend looked like scoring from crosses and corners though, those out on the pitch didn’t do enough to stop them.

In 46 league games and one play off we’ve conceded 48 goals. A quarter of them in three home games. When push came to shove we haven’t had that steel and resilience to prevent this occurring."
"Fair play to Southend, never stopped believing and tactically outsmarted Jim. As for us, a performance to perfectly sum up our season under McNulty. Threw it away against Bromley in the FA cup, threw it away against Spennymoor in the FA Trophy, thew it away tonight. His substitutions are what killed us tonight. The minute we brought on an extra CB on 64 mins I knew there'd be trouble. Then we need an outlet up top to relieve some pressure, bringing Bird off for Mitchell is absolutely criminal."

"I don't think we ever looked comfortable tbh, I felt they bossed the midfield and completely dominated us on set pieces.
I felt our keeper just wasn't strong enough a presence for such a game.
Surely any manager at 3-1 up would look to solidify his defence, it certainly didn't work though.
Bird was never going to last a full game, I personally would have put Rodney and Hendon together up top and not put Mitchell on.
Everything is easy in hindsight, it was never a typical Dale performance, we were crying out for some of that keep ball we are renowned for, Southend wouldn't allow it and going long to Bird was a good option at times, but going long to Mitchell, that's just wasteful."

 

[Tony Allen]

I was following the game on here and at about 9.05 pm when we were 3-1 down the internet started to play up which doesn't happen often. Anyway I switched off and missed it all and couldn't believe BBC Sport when I did get back in. As others have said here some of the comments earlier in the match were unnecessary and they look pretty stupid now. I'm getting old and sadly a balanced view of things isn't the fashion these days

 

[leeblue]

Good God man can you just have a day off?

Nope.

 

[Suffolk Shrimper In Dorset]

... and still Rochdale have never won a trophy.

 

[Beefy]

Never in doubt

 

[Uncle_Rons_Teapot]

Nearly 1k at Roots Hall tonight watching and creating a lot of noise

 

[Crowstone Crevette]

Floodlights still blazing at Roots Hall...

Nessun Dorma...

 

[It'sGrimUpNorth]

Speechless. You could feel the tension in the last 15 of ET.
What a night.
Credit to Dale fans, they didn’t stop singing. Well, for most of the 90 anyway.

 

[fbm]

@JB Shrimper and @leeblue ...

Really? After that game? Give it a rest guys and message each other personally rather than on this thread.

 

[leeblue]

After all the heart ache of the last 5 years, the worry, the absolute ball ache of an owner. To have such positivity on the pitch is so so good. Can not wait for FGR regardless of the result.