18/04/2014 - Rochdale FC v Blues
Top Of The League...Almost!
Blues make the long trip to Rochdale on Friday, hoping to pick up all 3 points on the road for the second away game in succession, which would also make it 4 away games without defeat. The Dale sit 2nd in League 2, 1 point off Scunthorpe, who sit top and 13 points ahead of Blues. This will be only the 46th meeting between the sides. Blues have won 22 of the past 45 meetings, drawn 11 and lost 12. The first time we played Rochdale, the game ended in a 1-1 draw in 1958.
We last played Rochdale at Roots Hall just before christmas last year, in what was also a 1-1 draw. Jamie Allen opened the scoring for Rochdale in the 14th minute, only for Kevan Hurst to equalise for Blues just before half time. Former Shrimper Matt Lund started for Dale in that match.
Last season, we beat Rochdale 3-1 at home, with goals from Britt Assombalonga, Gavin Tomlin & Marc Laird. On our previous visit to Spotland towards the end of last season, we were beaten 4-2 in what was a mid-table clash, (Rochdale were 13th, Blues were 12th). Our goals were scored by Mark Phillips & Barry Corr.
Rochdale - Last 6 Matches
Mansfield (A) – L 3-0
York City (H) - D 0-0
Fleetwood Town (A) - D 0-0
Portsmouth (H) - W 3-0 - Lund, Henderson, Vincenti
Wycombe (A) - W 2-0 – Allen, Vincenti
Northampton (A) - W 3-0 - Henderson, Lund, Bunney
Out of 21 home games (League Only) so far this season Hartlepool have:
Won: 14
Drawn: 3
Lost: 4
Fact
Rochdale have beaten the current bottom 9 teams at home, 5 of those wins have been by more than 1 goal.
Last time we played Rochdale:
Blues: Bentley, White, Kiernan, Prosser (Phillips 46), Coker, Atkinson, Leonard (Woodrow 56), Timlin, Hurst, Corr, Straker (Eastwood 73)
Rochdale: Lillis, Rafferty, Eastham (Cavanagh 70), Lancashire, O'Connell, Rose, Henderson (Done 78), Lund, Allen, Hogan (Vincenti 78), Cummins
Most Recent Line Ups:
Blues: Bentley, White, Sokolik, Egan, Coker (Eastwood 70), Hurst, Leonard, Timlin, Atkinson (Murphy 59), Barnard (Corr 59), Loza
Rochdale: Lillis, Rafferty, Done, Cavanagh (Donnelly '75), Bennett, Lancashire, Vincenti (Cummins '66), Allen, Hogan, Lund (Kennedy '66), Henderson
The Dale's Possible Line-Up:
Josh Lillis
Former Clubs: Scunthorpe, Notts County, Grimsby
CAREER GOALS: 0
Joe Rafferty
Former Clubs: Liverpool
CAREER GOALS: 1
Rhys Bennett
Former Clubs: Falkirk, Bolton
CAREER GOALS: 2
Oliver Lancashire
Former Clubs: Southampton, Grimsby, Walsall, Aldershot
CAREER GOALS: 2
Michael Rose
Former Clubs: Chester, Hereford, Yeovil, Scunthorpe, Cheltenham, Stockport, Norwich, Swindon, Colchester
CAREER GOALS: 23
Peter Vincenti
Former Clubs: Stevenage, Millwall, Aldershot, Mansfield
CAREER GOALS: 22
Matthew Lund
Former Clubs: Stoke, Hereford, Bristol Rovers, Oldham, Southend
CAREER GOALS: 13
Jason Kennedy
Former Clubs: Middlesbrough, Bury, Boston, Darlington, Livingston, Rochdale, Bradford
CAREER GOALS: 27
Peter Cavanagh
Former Clubs: Accrington, Fleetwood
CAREER GOALS: 11
Scott Hogan
Former Clubs: Stockbridge P.S, Halifax, Hyde, Ashton Utd
CAREER GOALS: 22
George Donnelly
Former Clubs: Skelmersdale United, Plymouth, Stockport, Luton, Fleetwood, Macclesfield
CAREER GOALS: 36
Rochdale's Players to Watch:
Josh Lillis
Peter Vincenti
Scott Hogan
Ex- Shrimpers now at Rochdale:
Steve Collis
Matt Lund
Brian Barry-Murphy
UTB!!!