Frozen pitches, fresh faces and a job done for Rochdale

 

Jake Burger drives forward against Tamworth.

By the time Rochdale AFC emerged from the festive break, they had slipped from first to fifth in the National League without kicking a ball. The irony was hard to miss. A temporary move from Spotland to Accrington’s Wham Stadium, after pitch problems at home, ended in familiar frustration as a nationwide freeze rendered yet another surface unplayable, postponing the scheduled game against Brackley. Those title rivals spared by the freeze took full advantage.

When football finally returned, it did so not in the league but in the FA Trophy, with a fourth-round trip to Tamworth offering no immediate route back to the summit. It did, however, provide something else: an opportunity for several first-team regulars to continue their rehabilitation after spells out through injury and international duty.

There had been a reshaping of the squad during the enforced downtime, too. Liam Humbles, who had barely troubled the starting XI since joining the club in the summer, was sent on loan to Altrincham until the end of the season.

Levi Amantchi, Charlie Waller and Nathan Broome returned to their parent clubs following expiration of loan spells, while Ryan Galvin was recalled by Barnet. Amantchi’s five months at Dale were modest in numbers but timely in impact, his late-July arrival yielding 20 appearances and a pair of goals, the most significant of which secured safe passage through to the FA Trophy fourth round at Leamington. Upon returning to Walsall, he was almost immediately transferred back to the National League, this time with Gateshead.

Broome’s contribution was briefer but more impactful: drafted in amid injury to Ollie Whatmuff, he brought calm and competence between the posts, keeping clean sheets in two of his four outings. Waller, likewise, made a competent fist of covering Sam Beckwith’s injury during his one-month stay. Galvin departed with a respectable record in Dale colours − five appearances, four wins – even if he himself did not set the world ablaze at left wing-back.

None were long-term fixtures, but each served a purpose at a moment when the squad needed reinforcement.

Amantchi’s departure in particular, however, left Dale with a familiar problem. Emmanuel Dieseruvwe’s injury had already exposed the thinness of options at No.9, forcing reliance on the evergreen Ian Henderson − now 40 − with only a brief and not-entirely-convincing flirtation with Tyler Smith as an alternative. Smith is much more effective operating at No.10. So, when the club announced it had moved to reinforce that position, the news was greeted with palpable relief − albeit tempered by more than a few raised eyebrows.

Perry, Duku and Bilongo joined Dale in the same week.

The reinforcement arrived in the shape of Manny Duku, a 33-year-old Dutch forward recruited from mid-table Tamworth, a signing that offered both cause for optimism and reason for caution. Duku had made fast starts before. At Raith Rovers in 2020/21 he scored in every League Cup group game, including a superb first-time finish from a tight angle against Hearts, later adding a penalty in a 3–2 league win over the Tynecastle side. Ten goals in 12 appearances suggested momentum appeared firmly with him.

At his best, Duku showed sharp movement, finished chances well and was willing to press − never rapid, but quick enough. The concern was sustainability. That early burst at Raith gave way to a 16-game drought as his off-the-ball intensity faded, a pattern that repeated itself at Inverness Caledonian Thistle. More recently he has drifted through the English non-league, posting respectable returns at Solihull and Tamworth. Now he arrives at Spotland as a calculated gamble − one that may depend on whether competition with Dieseruvwe can keep him engaged beyond any initial surge.

Duku was joined at Spotland by left wing-back Bryant Bilongo on a 1.5-year deal from Bristol Rovers and Coventry City U21 captain Callum Perry, on an initial one-month loan.

Positionally, the pair feel very much like McNulty signings: versatile, option-heavy additions. Looking at the refreshed squad, Bilongo, Joe Pritchard and Tarryn Allarakhia can all operate at left wing-back; Perry and David Tutonda provide competition at left centre-back; while Pritchard also offers an option as a No. 10, as does Allarakhia, who impressed there before his AFCON sojourn.

Tom Myles was involved in a penalty shoot-out v Tamworth.

None of that, however, was put to the test at Tamworth. With none of the new arrivals featuring, or indeed announced at this point (and Duku was cup-tied into the bargain), Rochdale named an XI that spoke clearly to where the FA Trophy sat in McNulty’s list of priorities − some distance below the league campaign. Tom Myles started in goal behind a back three of David Tutonda, Liam Hogan and Dan Moss, with Bryce Hosannah and the returning Allarakhia operating as wing-backs. Casey Pettit and Jake Burger anchored the midfield, while Aidan Barlow and Tyler Smith supported Ian Henderson up front.

Tamworth, by contrast, treated the tie with greater seriousness, fielding a strong side that ultimately prevailed on penalties after a 1–1 draw in normal time. Dale had taken the lead before the interval through Smith’s very well-taken effort, but as the contest wore on the hosts’ greater cohesion began to tell. An equaliser in the final 20 minutes dragged the tie beyond 90 minutes and into a shootout.

Sudden death beckoned after the opening exchanges from the spot. When substitute Charlie Waller’s penalty struck the upright, the door was left ajar, and Matt Curley stepped through it, converting to send Tamworth into the fifth round and bring Dale’s Trophy interest to a quiet end.

Casey Pettit converts his penalty against Tamworth.

There was little time to linger on any disappointment that might have been felt at Tamworth. Just three days later, Rochdale were on the road and back to league business, heading to the north-east to face Gateshead. Pre-match confidence was understandably high: the Heed sat bottom of the National League and had already been dismantled by Dale in the reverse fixture earlier in the campaign.

Yet, as so often in this division, context mattered. In the weeks leading up to the game Gateshead had acted, reappointing Rob Elliot as manager and reshaping their squad − changes that would be tested for the first time against Rochdale, and which threatened to render league position and past form largely irrelevant.

In the event, Dale’s return to league action was marked by a 2–0 success. On a chilly Saturday afternoon in the north-east, Jim McNulty’s side did what good sides do on the road – struck when on top, weathered a wobble, then finished the job.

The headline belonged to Manny Duku. Thrown straight in after arriving earlier in the week, the striker marked his debut with a goal that demonstrated sharp movement and an instinct for being in the right place at the right time. Just after the half-hour, Dale carved Gateshead open. A neat one-two between Kyron Gordon and Tobi Adebayo-Rowling created the angle for Gordon to slide Devante Rodney in behind. His delivery across the box was perfectly weighted and Duku, sliding in, did the rest.

Duku could – perhaps should – have doubled his tally minutes later. Ryan East’s high press forced the turnover and, after driving forward, he fed the debutant once more. This time former Dale loanee Tiernan Brooks was equal to it, but the chance underlined Dale’s superiority during a first half in which they broke with pace and purpose. At the interval, the sense was not just that Dale deserved their lead, but that they might regret not making it more emphatic.

Gateshead, to their credit, emerged with greater intent. Crosses began to rain into the area, testing Dale’s defensive shape. Former loanee Levi Amantchi came closest, his header crashing back off the bar, while Aidan Elliott-Wheeler skewed another opportunity wide. It was a reminder that one goal rarely settles anything, particularly away from home.

In the midst of this, Oliver Whatmuff’s return between the posts was significant. Calm to the point of serenity, he exuded an assurance that steadied those in front of him. Nothing was hurried, nothing looked awkward. If goalkeeping is often about temperament as much as technique, Whatmuff offered a masterclass in the former.

The decisive moment arrived late on and again it was crafted expertly. Adebayo-Rowling’s cross from the right missed Henderson but found East on the edge of the area and the midfielder made no mistake, slamming his finish into the near corner. It was a goal that cut through any lingering doubt and restored control.

The second half had lacked the fluency of the first and ball retention was not always convincing, allowing Gateshead more territory than McNulty would have liked. Yet defensively Dale were largely sound, if occasionally exposed by crosses – an area that will need tightening, particularly as new recruits learn the nuances of the system.

With pressure beginning to build down Dale’s left, the introduction of David Tutonda at left centre-back felt like astute game management, offering fresh legs and positional nous to help see the contest through.

There were reminders, too, that not all debuts arrive fully formed. Callum Perry, operating on the left of the back three and understandably short of match sharpness after limited recent game time, showed glimpses without quite settling into a rhythm. That McNulty was able to manage his minutes rather than expose him late on felt sensible, and Perry looks a player who will benefit quickly from regular football.

Bryant Bilongo, introduced later, also looked like a player still learning the structure, occasionally caught out of position but visibly receiving instruction from the bench.

There were plenty of encouraging individual notes. Jake Burger’s ability to carry the ball through midfield gave Dale a different dimension. Casey Pettit provided his now-familiar steadiness and looks increasingly like a starter waiting to happen, perhaps in a three or with East pushed wider as he was here in a second-half reshuffle. Duku, beyond the goal, showed enough movement and physical presence to suggest, with a little more ruthlessness, he can more than capably deputise for Mani Dieseruvwe, especially with Henderson’s intelligent running on offer as an alternative too.

In the end, this was not a performance to stir the soul, but it was one to please the pragmatist. A job done, points secured, debuts bedded in.

Duku celebrates with team-mates after opening his account.

What now lies ahead for Dale is a frenetic stretch that may go a long way towards defining their season. First comes a testing trip to a much-improved Solihull Moors, before the long-awaited return to Spotland to face strugglers Truro on newly laid turf. That is followed by the rearranged visit of Southend United, after the National League finally ruled that the original fixture should be replayed rather than allowed to stand.

Beyond that looms February, and what looks like the true examination of Dale’s promotion credentials: a daunting run against Boreham Wood, Carlisle United, Forest Green Rovers and Scunthorpe United in almost consecutive games. If Dale emerge from that run anywhere near the summit, they will have done very well indeed.

As always, thanks to The Voice of Spotland/Dan Youngs/Rochdale AFC for use of images.

Winning ugly, losing ugly: Rochdale’s Christmas double-header

 

Harvey Gilmour hit a sublime winner against Morecambe.

Once the turkey was finished and Christmas Day filed away, it didn’t take long for thoughts to return to football. For Rochdale, the festive pause barely existed at all: two more games still awaited before the calendar year could be put to bed.

First up was the relatively short cross-county trip to Morecambe, a team slowly recovering from much-publicised off-the-field woes, with an even slower recovery on it, languishing in the bottom four of the National League. Dale, on the other hand, were looking for a fifth successive league win to maintain pole position.

Jim McNulty named an unchanged starting line-up from the previous week’s win at Altrincham and, while the side was not as fluid as in that contest, there is an old footballing cliché that titles are built on afternoons when teams are a little off-key and still find a way to win.

Rochdale’s trip to Morecambe felt like one of those days: imperfect, occasionally frustrating, yet ultimately rewarding − made even more so by the calibre of the opposition performance, which belied their lowly league position.

Dale were not always at their sharpest, but they were ambitious. The tactical intent was clear from the outset, with the midfield pairing of Harvey Gilmour and Ryan East pushed high, almost on the toes of the front three. Morecambe were often forced deep, yet they remained organised and resilient, choosing their moments carefully rather than simply retreating. Even so, with greater composure in the final ball – and perhaps a touch more clarity in decision-making – Dale could, and probably should, have taken firmer control long before the drama of a missed double penalty intervened.

With five minutes of the first half to go, Joe Pritchard was clipped in the box and the referee pointed to the spot. Connor McBride stepped up and Jamal Blackman saved – but the goalkeeper had crept off his line. Retake.

Cue a change of taker and target. Pritchard went the other way, Blackman guessed right again, and somehow Dale had contrived to miss two penalties in the space of a minute.

Pressure eventually told, however. Henderson’s opener was a classic Henderson goal: an instinctive, ruthless trademark lob, and a reminder of his value as a stand-in who never looks like one. It gave Dale a half-time lead that suggested control, if not complete fluency, belonged to the visitors.

Morecambe, however, refused to fade. Their equaliser was no accident but the product of a well-executed Jack Nolan set piece, Dale punished after Ryan Galvin’s clumsy challenge conceded a free kick in a dangerous area. It was a moment that underlined why league position can be a misleading guide: Morecambe were competitive, disciplined and alert to opportunity throughout. In fact, had they possessed a natural No.9, the outcome may have been very different.

Dale’s response was measured rather than frantic. The plan remained intact, and it was from the bench that renewed clarity arrived. Jake Burger’s half-time introduction proved transformative; suddenly, angles opened and purpose returned. Alongside him, Tyler Smith and Devante Rodney injected sharpness and urgency, stretching a tiring home defence and shifting the momentum once more.

The winning goal was spectacular – a moment of quality that cut through the second-half attrition. Burger, at the heart of everything good going forward, supplied the pass, and Gilmour guided the ball into the top corner from the edge of the box with emphatic precision, a finish worthy of settling a tight and testing contest. There were further opportunities too, but the excellent Blackman in the Morecambe goal ensured the scoreline remained at two goals to one.

Elsewhere, there were quieter positives for Dale. Charlie Waller again suggested that the loss of Sam Beckwith may not be felt as keenly as first feared, particularly if his loan can be extended.

The afternoon victory was made all the sweeter by the fact that two of Rochdale’s title rivals dropped points – Forest Green losing at Brackley and York salvaging a last-minute draw against Boston United.

Devante Rodney returned to the XI against Hartlepool.

There then followed the first of two Dale ‘home’ games at Accrington’s Wham Stadium, with plenty of the Rochdale support travelling to see these young guns go for it against Hartlepool United (and for any non-Daleys reading this, the reason why Rochdale were playing home games in Accrington is discussed at length in previous blog entries).

As noted earlier, there is an old footballing cliché that titles are built on afternoons when teams are a little off-key and still find a way to win. Unlike at Morecambe, Rochdale’s hosting of Hartlepool did not feel like one of those days.

Some games are decided by quality, others by basics. Being first to the ball, passing accurately, defending with clarity. Rochdale have done those things almost unnoticed all season, providing the platform from which results have flowed. Against Hartlepool, they didn’t. From the outset, Dale looked oddly disconnected from the version of themselves supporters have grown accustomed to, and that was all the more jarring given the team sheet looked one most would have accepted without hesitation.

Jim McNulty made two changes from the Boxing Day win at Morecambe. Devante Rodney and Tyler Smith came in for Ryan Galvin and Ian Henderson, with Joe Pritchard shifting to the left. On paper, it made sense. In practice, it exposed a structural problem that would linger throughout the evening.

With no focal point in attack − neither Emmanuel Dieseruvwe’s physical presence nor Henderson’s intelligent movement − Dale struggled to retain the ball in advanced areas. And, when you can’t keep it, you invite trouble. Hartlepool did exactly what they do well: pressing high, breaking quickly, and attacking space behind the wing-backs with intent.

The warning signs came early. Nathan Broome was forced into a smart save to turn Luke Charman’s effort wide, but from the resulting corner Maxim Kouogun rose unchallenged to head Hartlepool into the lead. Less than ten minutes later it was two. A Dale attack broke down, Pools countered with speed, and Charman arrived at the far post to finish from close range. The move exposed familiar vulnerabilities down Dale’s left, as well as a worrying lack of protection in the box.

At 2-0 down, Rochdale found themselves trailing by two goals for only the second time time this season. Hartlepool, having done their damage, retreated into a compact shape. Dale’s response was disjointed. Passing was loose, positioning uncertain, and there was little cohesion between midfield and attack. Smith toiled without threat at centre-forward, Pritchard endured a difficult evening, and Hartlepool seemed first to every second ball. Even Broome’s distribution told its own story, with passing lanes closing quickly and options few.

And yet, despite all of that, there were moments in the first half where Dale should have tested the goalkeeper more. Crosses came in greater volume than usual, but without conviction or end product. It wasn’t until Henderson’s later introduction that those deliveries finally had purpose.

The second half, at least, offered encouragement. Then the eventual introduction of Henderson and Anthony Gomez-Mancini changed both shape and momentum. For the first time, Hartlepool had something different to think about. Gomez-Mancini looked strong on the ball, Henderson immediately occupied centre-backs, and Dale began to play higher and with greater clarity. Alongside them, Harvey Gilmour was able to operate as a quarterback, while Casey Pettit brought bite and urgency in midfield − arguably too late to influence the result fully, but enough to suggest imminent changes for some regulars are unavoidable. Pettit, in particular, made a compelling case to start.

The goal, when it came, underlined Henderson’s unique value to this side. With just over ten minutes remaining, he met Tobi Adebayo-Rowling’s right-wing cross with a perfectly timed header, glancing home with the instinct of someone who understands that central striker role better than anyone else at the club, save perhaps Dieseruvwe. The final twenty minutes were, in truth, an enjoyable watch − not because of the scoreline, but because it showed Rochdale can move away from their usual structure mid-game and still look dangerous.

The frustration was that the adjustment arrived at least ten minutes too late.

We don’t yet know how many minutes Henderson can consistently give at his most effective level, but it felt clear he should have been introduced no later than the hour mark. The same could be said of Pettit. And with uncertainty still surrounding Dieseruvwe’s injury, the importance of that No.9 role cannot be overstated. Additions are certainly required if his absence is prolonged.

Also, Tarryn Allarakhia cannot return from AFCON soon enough − though, in typically inconvenient fashion, Tanzania have qualified for the next round.

Anyway, a chance now to put things right against Brackley on Saturday and start 2026 on the front foot. In the meantime, a Happy New Year to you all.

As always thanks to TVOS/Dan Youngs/Rochdale AFC for use of images.

Rochdale ride the winter chaos to stay top at Christmas

 

Jim McNulty looks on as the pitch work proves futile.

Rochdale AFC began December by hosting Southend United in what was the final match to be played at Spotland this calendar year. By then, everyone already knew about the pitch situation: the surface struggling, the waterlogging relentless, the inflatable covers merely delaying the inevitable. The winter schedule and worsening conditions were on a collision course. The decision to press ahead with a full mid-season rebuild was the unavoidable conclusion to a problem that had been growing in plain sight for several years.

To allow for this five-week operation, it had been confirmed that the Hartlepool and Brackley home fixtures would be played at Accrington Stanley’s Crown Ground − the Wham Stadium, to give it its sponsored name − and let’s hope it’s the Last Christmas we ever have to do such a thing. To my mind, it’s the first time Dale have been forced to stage league games at a neutral venue. We’ve shifted the odd AWS tie before – notably in 1998/99, when a couple were moved to opponents’ grounds – and there’s a small scrapbook’s worth of FA Cup replays at borrowed homes such as Old Trafford, Maine Road and Elland Road. But competitive league football on someone else’s turf through necessity rather than choice? That really is uncharted territory, and yet another reminder of how extraordinary this season has become off the pitch as well as on it.

Still, the alternative is unthinkable and, once again, it’s the magnificent Ogden family we have to thank for the fact we even have such an option. There will, of course, be inconvenience for supporters and players alike, but it’s a compromise everyone should accept for the greater good.

And if the wider football world needed proof of what led to this decision, the Southend fixture provided it in real time. What should have been one of Dale’s two crucial games in hand − an opportunity to edge clear at the top while others were distracted by FA Cup duties − slowly descended into farce as the rain turned Spotland’s surface from awkward to unplayable.

Jim McNulty made two changes from the Eastleigh win. Ryan Galvin came in for his first start at left wing-back, allowing Tarryn Allarakhia to operate higher up, while Connor McBride returned in place of the injured Devante Rodney. Yet the afternoon began on the back foot, with Oli Coker lashing Southend ahead inside six minutes. McBride spurned a fine chance to level, and only a fingertip save from Nathan Broome and a goal-line clearance from Kyron Gordon prevented the visitors doubling their lead before the break.

The turning point arrived after the interval. Trying to impose Dale’s usual possession-heavy style on a surface slowing by the minute was asking for trouble, yet that’s exactly what they attempted for the first 45, playing in areas that invited mistakes. Only when the team pushed higher, forcing play into Southend’s half, did the momentum shift − and when it did, it swung decisively. The equaliser came when a hopeful ball forward skidded in front of Collin Andeng-Ndi, whose attempted gather turned into a costly spill. Ryan East reacted quickest, showing admirable composure to steer the ball around a defender and into the empty net.

The second goal owed plenty to the conditions too. Sam Beckwith rattled the bar before being forced off with what looked a worrying injury, and his replacement, Dan Moss, was immediately involved, driving a greasy ball into Allarakhia’s feet inside the area. A slick touch, a neat jink past the defender and a low finish into the far corner gave Dale the lead − again exploiting a pitch on which defenders and goalkeeper were constantly second-guessing their footing.

Mani Dieseruvwe could – and probably should – have settled it on the counter. But just moments after his one-on-one, referee Andrew Humphries ordered the players back to the dressing room as the surface turned into a swamp. After nearly thirty minutes of frantic work from club staff and grounds team alike, and two inspections from the match officials, the inevitable was confirmed. The game was abandoned after 78 minutes, with Dale leading 2-1. In truth, it shouldn’t have reached that point. The match ought to have been stopped a good ten minutes earlier, long before Allarakhia’s excellent strike further muddied the waters.

The referee with McNulty and Southend boss Kevin Maher.

The afternoon’s bedlam had many contenders for a nadir, yet one moment stood out painfully clear: Beckwith’s injury. Even from a distance it looked ominous − what appeared to be a serious hamstring issue − and the manner in which he was helped from the pitch did little to soften that impression. Sadly, the initial concern was not an overreaction, and it was later revealed that in all likelihood he will now miss the rest of the campaign. And that stings. He has been, without question, the finest left-sided centre-half in the National League, and his absence leaves a void that will be extraordinarily difficult to fill. As it would turn out, Beckwith was not the only one to leave the pitch carrying consequences that would surface in the weeks that followed. Dieseruvwe, it was later revealed, took a hit with the last kick of the match, something McNulty said he feared would keep the striker out for at least a month.

The surface caused an injury that will keep Sam Beckwith out for the season.

On a positive note, Allarakhia was by some distance Dale’s standout performer − man of the match by any measure − underlining how effective he can be when used in advanced areas rather than being pinned to a touchline.

Whether the result will stand or the fixture must be replayed is now a matter for the National League to decide – another unwelcome subplot in a campaign already carrying more than its fair share. Recent precedent doesn’t offer much guidance either. Eastleigh’s 1–1 draw with Scunthorpe, abandoned in the 93rd minute earlier this season, was ordered to be replayed. Yet only a week later, Scunthorpe’s 2–1 lead against Wealdstone was halted in the 78th minute and the points were awarded to the home side. Both of those abandonments came as a result of player injury rather than the weather, albeit the away side elected to end the match in the latter.

With league matters unresolved, attention turned − perhaps mercifully − elsewhere. Dale’s ever-growing injury list – now up to four key players – was becoming a concern but the first XI was to be given something of a brief reprieve for the next fixture, the third round of the FA Trophy, albeit the first round at which Rochdale entered. Often viewed as an unnecessary distraction for clubs with promotion ambitions, the competition briefly became a chance for Dale to chase a first major senior trophy in the club’s history last season – right up until the horror of that semi-final against Spennymoor. We won’t revisit that here…

This year’s third-round opponents were the same as last year: Leamington − a tie that brought Dale a routine passage into round four and Tobi Adebayo-Rowling the chance to hug a tree after scoring his first goal for the club. This time, while the outcome was unchanged and the trees of Leamington remained unembraced, the task was far less straightforward, with the 1–0 victory hard earned.

The opening 45 minutes were goalless, but the breakthrough arrived shortly after the restart. Half-time substitute Levi Amantchi made an immediate impact, scoring the decisive goal just six minutes into the second half.

A smart finish from Levi Amantchi settled the FA Trophy tie.

Jim McNulty had made eight changes from the side named for the previous weekend’s abandoned fixture against Southend United.

Tom Myles started in goal, behind a back three of David Tutonda, Liam Hogan and Dan Moss. Ryan Galvin and Tarryn Allarakhia operated as wing-backs, with Casey Pettit and Jake Burger forming the midfield partnership.

Ian Henderson led the line with Connor McBride at No.10 with Liam Humbles coming into the starting XI late on in place of Aidan Barlow, who had originally been named to start but suffered a niggle in the warm-up. Tyler Smith returned from injury on the bench, alongside Bryce Hosannah.

It was, if nothing else, a flexing of the squad depth that now existed at the club. Yet, following the game, Allarakhia left the rainy British Isles for the 2025 CAF Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco after being named in Tanzania’s 26-man squad. A further blow to Dale’s depleting ranks given his form at the time. All the more welcome, then, was the reinforcement of at least one position, with centre-back Charlie Waller arriving on loan from League Two MK Dons.

Dale returned to league action the following Friday with a trip to Altrincham, a fixture that felt less like festive football and more like an administrative prank. The scheduling, a by-product of broadcaster DAZN’s hollow Christmas campaign, landed on a night that is annually sacred to office parties. That supporters still made the journey was testament enough; what followed on the pitch justified them entirely.

This was also the season’s first reverse fixture. Dale had beaten Altrincham at Spotland back in August, and in the intervening months the Robins had dispensed with long-serving manager Phil Parkinson, turning instead to Neil Gibson. The change, however, had done little to reverse their slide. Altrincham sat 15th, short on confidence and soon to be shown just how far Dale’s own collective journey had progressed.

With injuries biting across the pitch, there was natural apprehension from the Dale support. Instead, the 3-0 victory became one of the most complete performances of the season, a quiet vindication of thoughtful squad building and an unwavering commitment to a plan. From the opening minute, Dale were intent on imposing their tempo. The back three played with an almost languid assurance, happy to recycle possession and wait for spaces to open, confident in both instruction and ability.

Charlie Waller’s introduction on the left of that three could hardly have been smoother. Stepping into Sam Beckwith’s role, he delivered an assured, intelligent display that suggested continuity rather than compromise. Ahead of him, Ian Henderson’s inclusion at centre-forward brought with it all the subtlety that has defined his career. The No.40 drifted, dropped and nudged defenders out of position, creating corridors for others to exploit. It was Henderson’s cushioned header that teed up Joe Pritchard for his first goal in a Dale shirt, the finish a fitting reward for early dominance.

The second goal arrived via patience rather than pressure. Dale moved the ball calmly across their own half, drawing Altrincham forward before springing the trap down the right. Kyron Gordon released Connor McBride, who did the rest with a finish of real quality, an expertly judged chip even Henderson would have been proud of. By the interval, it was reasonable to wonder whether Dale ought to have been further ahead, a thought that felt almost indulgent given the enforced changes and missing personnel.

Altrincham showed more intent after the break, probing with greater purpose, but Dale’s defensive organisation held firm. Goalkeeper Nathan Broome was called upon twice, producing sharp saves that ensured momentum never truly shifted. There was no panic, only control, and when Jim McNulty turned to his bench the response was immediate. The substitutes injected fresh energy, swinging the contest decisively back in Dale’s favour.

The third goal, scored by Tyler Smith, followed a familiar pattern: incisive play down the right, movement timed to perfection, and a finish that extinguished any lingering doubt. From there, the remainder felt procedural, the outcome settled long before the final whistle.

An evening that began with concern over absentees ended with supporters celebrating those who had stepped into the breach, and it meant Rochdale AFC should be top of the National League for Christmas.

So, an away trip to Morecambe on Boxing Day is next up for Dale before those two ‘home’ games at Accrington to see out and see in the New Year.

And as if all this weren’t already enough of a detour from the norm, January into February looms with a run that borders on the absurd: Dale are set to face five of current top seven in almost consecutive league games. A month that, on paper, reads less like a fixture list and more like a stress test of every ounce of progress McNulty’s side has made. By then, hopefully, Spotland will be back in working order and the rebuilt pitch will be hosting football rather than machinery, because Dale will need every advantage they can muster. It’s the sort of stretch that can redefine a season − for good or ill − and one that will demand the same resilience that carried them out of the early-winter turbulence.

Regardless, for now, the team’s record-breaking season continues. With two fixtures still to be played, they have already secured a club-record 31 Rochdale wins in a calendar year, surpassing the previous high of 29. If that doesn’t fill you with festive cheer, I don’t know what will.

Merry Christmas fellow Dale fans. I hope it’s a good one for you all.

As always thanks to The Voice of Spotland, Dan Youngs and Rochdale AFC for use of images.

Dale reignite their momentum as pitch solutions fall into place

 

Harvey Gilmour ran the midfield against Aldershot.

Back in October, I wrote that a defining trait of any good side is its capacity to bounce back. Up until that point, Rochdale AFC had embodied that resilience perfectly, responding to every setback in the most convincing manner possible: with victory.

The trip to York, however, delivered the harshest chastening of the campaign so far. A brutal 15-minute collapse condemned Dale to a 4-1 defeat, the sort of loss that lingers. That made the next fixture against Aldershot − now under the stewardship of former Dale manager John Coleman − a genuine test of their mettle.

Even the build-up carried its own drama. The inflatable pitch covers, brought in by the club’s ownership group to protect the surface from the worst of Storm Claudia, had done their job − though the pitch still resembled more of a cow field than a footballing stage.

It was also one of the fixtures included in the National League’s new 3Up campaign − an initiative I’m fully supportive of, with the greater upward mobility provided by three promotion places only serving to strengthen the entire pyramid.

Jim McNulty made one change to the starting XI, as Connor McBride replaced the injured Tyler Smith. There was also a welcome return to the matchday squad for Joe Pritchard, who had been missing through injury since August.

What followed, however, was a scrappy, disjointed first half on a surface the players never quite managed to decipher. The weight of pass was a guessing game, and yet Dale still found themselves in promising positions in the final third − only for the final ball to fall short or the finishing to lack conviction. It was surprising, too, that Coleman had brought his team to play rather than contain, and the Dale midfield of Harvey Gilmour and Ryan East found themselves pressed in a way they had not been used to on home turf this season.

The second half was a different story. The much-needed substitutions injected not only energy but a noticeable shift in mood. Jake Burger’s brief stint at left wing-back immediately gave Aldershot more to think about, stretching them in ways Dale hadn’t earlier.

Aidan Barlow, just on the pitch and immediately looking sharp, took the ball on the half-turn and slipped a neat pass into Tobi Adebayo-Rowling on the right. The low cross that followed had trouble written all over it, and Gilmour arrived on cue to thump it in from the edge of the six-yard box. And once the breakthrough came, the follow-up changes helped see the game out with a measure of control.

Further up the pitch, both Mani Dieseruvwe and Devante Rodney would have known there is more to come from them. The fact Dale are finding goals from other areas of the team is encouraging, but it shouldn’t lessen the responsibility on their shoulders in games such as this.

Devante Rodney puts the Aldershot defence on the backfoot.

It was heartening, too, to see Ethan Ebanks-Landell shrug off his York nightmare with a return to form. He and Sam Beckwith were excellent throughout.

This team has shown it can win games in all manner of circumstances, and this was another example: a hard-earned victory against an Aldershot side who are surely better than their league position suggests. The win took Dale to 40 points for the season, a figure reached in only 17 games, which beat the previous quickest of 20 games in 2009/10.

A trip to Tamworth the following Saturday was the next competitive action for Dale. The Lambs, while considered one of the National League's smaller sides, occupied ninth spot in the table and had secured a tenth-placed finish the previous season. Their narrow plastic pitch had proven an extra man against many bigger opponents over previous seasons and here it was also wet and slippery thanks to the wintry weather conditions in Staffordshire.

McNulty rang the changes once again with his starting XI. It had been remarked upon after the Aldershot game that, sooner or later, the freshness brought onto the pitch from the bench was going to be needed from the start of a match and, Casey Pettit in particular, had made the strongest case for inclusion from the opening whistle. McNulty gave him that nod here over Ryan East.

Tobi Adebayo-Rowling saw plenty of the ball against Tamworth.

Elsewhere, Devante Rodney had to miss out due to, as McNulty confirmed, the No.10 suffering post-match when playing on an astroturf-type service, so Aidan Barlow joined Connor McBride behind Mani Dieseruvwe. Tarryn Allarakhia returned from international duty to replace Kevin Berkoe, who was recalled from his loan by Salford City earlier in the week.

Kyron Gordon’s third goal of the campaign sent Dale into the interval with a deserved lead, and Dieseruvwe’s coolly dispatched penalty midway through the second half extended their advantage.

The hosts later clawed one back when the defence switched off, setting up a tense finale for the travelling Dale faithful, but McNulty’s side held firm.

The performance, in many respects, was one of the more impressive of the season. Dale's control of the ball − and the speed with which they regained it − was outstanding. The Harvey Gilmour–Pettit partnership shone, a blend of defensive steel and offensive intelligence that gave Dale a platform to build from. Out wide, the wing-backs provided consistent width and a steady stream of deliveries into the box.

And yet, for all that good structure, Dale still relied on Dieseruvwe's penalty to make the difference. Without it, Dale could easily have let points slip. The chances were there − and good ones at that. Barlow, Pettit and Dieseruvwe all had first-half opportunities that really should have resulted in more meaningful efforts on goal. Dale do take shots, despite some narrative to the contrary; the issue was that, at times, they weren't shooting well enough.

The build-up was good, the positions were good, the volume of attacking play was good… but the final touch lacked ruthlessness. Dieseruvwe, even with his goal and a few ‘nearly’ moments, still needed to do more to truly unsettle defenders. Dale were getting the ball into dangerous areas, but not turning that into the kind of scoreline their play deserved.

Defensively, there was plenty to admire. Ebanks-Landell was back to his imperious best and Kyron Gordon was outstanding at both ends of the pitch, his influence far greater than any praise could properly convey. However, the unit as a whole switching off for Tamworth's goal was an avoidable blemish. Still, the bigger question wasn't so much about the back line − it was about how clinical Dale could become at the other end. The York match had shown why Dale had to make the most of their chances; this game showed they were still creating more than enough of them.

Mani D coolly converted his spot kick against Tamworth.

The result put Rochdale back at the top of the National League and, in the grand scheme of things, that was the headline. A crucial away win, three points secured, job done. Yet anyone who watched the game would have known that beneath the satisfaction lay a familiar frustration: Dale creating enough to win matches more comfortably, but not putting teams away when the openings came.

There was then the distraction of the final National League Cup group game before Rochdale could return to league action, with Everton’s under-21s visiting Spotland. Most supporters were watching less for the result and more to see how the pitch coped and, to its credit, the surface held up reasonably well. The night also proved useful in footballing terms, giving Joe Pritchard valuable minutes on his return from injury − capped with an assist − while Bryce Hosannah made his Dale debut. Tom Myles impressed in goal, and Levi Amantchi deservedly took home the man-of-the-match award. In the end, it was Jake Burger who settled the contest with the only goal. Despite the win, Dale exited the competition, though it was a conclusion few were overly concerned about.

Levi Amantchi was MoM against Everton's U-21s.

Ahead of Dale’s next league fixture, the hosting of Eastleigh, the Ownership Group announced it had once again hired inflatable dome pitch covers, no doubt at great expense (reiterating just how much this club would struggle with the involvement of the Ogden family).

The club then issued a further statement that underlined just how precarious the whole situation with the pitch had become. In short: the surface wasn’t just struggling, it was failing. Waterlogging had already wiped out two fixtures, and the deterioration had been so sharp that the club openly admitted what we supporters all suspected – there was “no confidence” in getting through the season without drastic intervention. The inflatable MacLeod covers, useful as they’ve been, were essentially described as a sticking plaster over a much deeper problem.

So, with the surface getting worse by the week, the club had secured permission from the National League to do something rarely seen at this level: a full mid-season pitch rebuild. Not a tidy-up, not a partial relay − a complete strip-down to the drains, installation of new drainage and gravel layers, and the laying of a new profile topped with a HERO hybrid carpet that will be playable immediately. The work, guided by consultants OBI, is expected to take four to five weeks.

It begins straight after the rescheduled Southend game on 7th December, and it means two league fixtures − Hartlepool (30th December) and Brackley (3rd January) − will have to be played elsewhere. The club say they’re in advanced talks over an alternative venue and aim to confirm details before the diggers roll in. The plan is to return to Spotland on 24th January for the visit of Truro City.

The message was clear: this is expensive, disruptive and far from ideal. But with the pitch in its current state, the club believe it’s the only viable route to ensuring the season can be completed properly. And, if all goes to plan, Dale will not only emerge with a playable surface for the run-in, but with a pitch finally capable of matching the ambitions being built on it.

The pre-Eastleigh announcements weren’t done there, either. The club brought in left wing-back Ryan Galvin on loan from last season’s National League winners Barnet. This was a positive move. It gave McNulty three solid options in that position but with the bonus that Joe Pritchard and Tarryn Allarakhia can play in other positions. In a previous blog, I referred to Pritchard as the new Jimmy Keohane and we were about to see more of that.

Tarryn Allarakhia can play in several positions.

In less welcome news, the club then announced that goalkeeper Oliver Whatmuff had suffered a quad injury against Tamworth and was facing being on the sidelines into the New Year. To their credit, the club reacted quickly. In came Nathan Broome on a short-term loan from Bolton Wanderers − a 23-year-old with a background shaped by some of the country’s strongest academies. On paper, he looked a smart, agile keeper with the sort of grounding that should allow him to adapt quickly. He was handed the number 25 shirt, and it didn’t take long to see why McNulty had moved quickly to secure him.

So to Eastleigh − another potentially awkward fixture on a pitch deteriorating by the day and with a side forced into changes. Yet Dale began with purpose. Joe Pritchard, starting for the first time since returning from his knee injury, offered intelligence and balance on the left. Ryan Galvin, newly arrived from Barnet, had to wait his turn from the bench, but his presence added further depth to the wing-back options. And then there was Tarryn Allarakhia, who immediately looked like the game’s most dangerous player.

The first half should have yielded more. Dale racked up corners, dominated territory, stretched Eastleigh in every conceivable direction − and still somehow went into the break goalless. Ryan East, restored to the XI at the expense of the impressive Casey Pettit, drifted wide right to great effect, linking superbly with Tobi Adebayo-Rowling, Kyron Gordon and Devante Rodney. On the opposite flank, Pritchard and Tarryn Allarakhia knitted with an understanding that felt remarkably natural for a first start together. The balance was good, the patterns flowed, and yet the score stubbornly refused to budge. But for a terrific save from debutant Broome – who looked instantly comfortable with the ball at his feet and calm under pressure – Dale could even have found themselves behind against all logic.

The pressure finally told after the break. Allarakhia, who had tormented Eastleigh all afternoon, got his reward when his driven cross was diverted into the far corner by a defender. From that moment, the only question was how many Dale would win by. The introductions of Connor McBride and Aidan Barlow added fresh energy and further discomfort for a retreating Eastleigh back line, and it was no surprise when Allarakhia added a second – cushioning a volley beautifully into the top corner after another well-worked move down the right.

Celebrating against Eastleigh - a squad together.

Could Dale have scored more? Absolutely. They were dominant and, once again, the only frustration was the familiar one: the scoreline didn’t quite reflect the control. But, in context, the positives far outweigh the nitpicking. A reshuffled side, a debutant goalkeeper, and still Dale played with a level of quality and depth that simply hasn’t been seen at Spotland for years. The winning machine rolled on, and McNulty’s men stayed top of the Enterprise National League table with a fully deserved three points.

The only concern is that Dale’s title rivals are matching them stride for stride, leaving those two games in hand as the only immediate advantage. Making the most of them may well define the entire season.

Many thanks again to The Voice of Spotland/Dan Youngs/Rochdale AFC for use of images.

Dale seek firmer ground – at home and on the road

Inflatable pitch covers have been deployed.

November’s curtain-raiser for Rochdale AFC was meant to bring yet another clash of first against second. Forest Green Rovers and Carlisle had already been dispatched, their ambitions dimmed by Rochdale’s early dominance. Next in line were Scunthorpe United – surprise contenders whose rapid rise had caught many off guard.

But the drama never arrived. A touch of seasonal rain proved too much for Spotland’s struggling surface, the pitch once again unable to cope with the kind of weather long expected at this time of year. What should have been another night beneath the floodlights became instead a reminder of an enduring problem.

As Rochdale supporters, I don’t think any of us could fault the effort behind the scenes. The club showed that it was doing what it could: the pitch had been covered since the Sunday before, the ground staff had used every machine available – from Terralift to Air2G2 (whatever they are). The detail in the club’s update was reassuring in one sense; there was clearly no lack of activity or intent.

But good intentions don’t guarantee good outcomes. Despite all that work, the playing surface continued to hold water and, once again, we were left wondering whether another home game would survive the weather. When a club openly warns fans that a match may not go ahead, you know the situation has moved beyond “unfortunate” and into “unsustainable.”

Yes, it is true that a referee ultimately decides if a match can proceed, and yes, those unusually mild November temperatures complicated the use of covers. But the fact remained: the pitch was saturated and all those short-term mitigations – the aeration, the pro-coring, the injections of dried seaweed – hadn’t brought us any closer to a permanent fix.

Credit must go to the ground staff for their commitment; they were clearly working flat out. Yet the truth was, no amount of effort could overcome whatever structural limitations are causing our pitch to hold water while other clubs in proximity have no such issues.

In a statement two days after the postponement, Director Jamie Willoughby acknowledged just how serious and complex the situation has become, stressing that the issue “has the 100% focus of the club, the board and the ownership group.” He confirmed that all available options were being explored – even some “extreme” ones that come with “significant technical, logistical and regulatory challenges.” It was encouraging to hear that nothing was being ruled out, and that if a feasible solution could be found, it had the backing of the majority ownership group to proceed.

That commitment has now been matched by short-term action: the club has installed an inflatable dome pitch cover ahead of the Aldershot fixture – the same type used during the FA Cup tie against Spurs in 2018. The raised system is designed to keep the surface sheltered from further rain while allowing the ground staff to continue working underneath. It’s not a long-term solution, as the club itself admits, but it represents a practical step forward – the kind of decisive, visible measure supporters have been waiting to see.

It is time for lasting, decisive action, though – and it seems, finally, that the club is prepared to take it. Whether that means the team playing elsewhere to allow for a full reconstruction, major investment in a modern surface, or a complete overhaul of the drainage infrastructure, the club must move beyond patchwork fixes.

I should add that this is an issue the Ogden family have inherited, not created, and no blame lies with them on that score. But regardless of how we got here – and hopefully one day we’ll have clearer answers on just how we did – Spotland deserves better. The players and coaches deserve better. And so do the supporters who turn up rain or shine.

Devante Rodney gave Dale a deserved lead at Boston.

Thankfully, two away games offered Rochdale a brief escape from their waterlogged woes. The road would call first at mid-table Boston United − a chance, at last, to get back onto a playable surface. However, the postponement against Scunthorpe, coupled with the prior free weekend brought on by their absence from this season’s FA Cup, left many fearing Jim McNulty’s title contenders might lose a touch of rhythm and sharpness. That did show a little in this performance, but not enough to stop Dale’s class and superiority shining through.

McNulty made two changes from Dale’s previous league game. Tarryn Allarakhia and Connor McBride returned to the starting line-up, while Ian Henderson made the matchday squad on the substitutes’ bench in place of Levi Amantchi (who has not been recalled from his loan spell by Walsall, despite rumours circulating to the contrary).

Rochdale dominated the first half, carving out chance after chance that should have put the game to bed early. Allarakhia in particular was proving a menace, cutting in to shoot with his right foot or crossing with his left when shown outside. Shots were blocked, deflected, or hacked off the line as Boston clung on, yet the hosts remained a threat on the break. When goalkeeper Ollie Whatmuff slipped midway through the half, Jordy Hiwula almost punished, dragging wide, and Boston’s movement on the counter kept Dale honest whenever possession broke down.

Still, Dale stuck to their patient build-up, dictating the tempo and forcing Boston ever deeper. The pressure finally told when Devante Rodney rifled into the top corner − a goal that reflected Dale’s control.

The second half began with another big chance for Rodney, who struck the post from a softly-earned penalty that would have doubled the lead. The miss shifted momentum. Boston grew into the game, encouraged by a few shaky moments at the back. Suddenly, the home side’s counters carried more menace, and Rochdale were forced onto the defensive.

Enter substitute Tyler Smith. Since returning to the club, his work rate and intent have been constant − all we’d willed for was an end product, and he finally got the goal his efforts merited, finishing off a slick move from Tobi Adebayo-Rowling’s square ball to make it 2–0. It should have been enough, but Boston refused to fade. After a spell around the Dale box, a cross from Dale’s left wasn’t closed down, and Alex Lankshear − whose name, to my ear, sounds like a Hot Fuzz character’s attempt at “Lancashire” − ghosted in front of the Dale defence to steer it goalwards and pull one back. Whatmuff was insistent the ball hadn’t crossed the line, but the referee gave the goal.

Thankfully, Smith wasn’t finished. Fellow substitute Dan Moss clipped a ball over the top for Emmanuel Dieseruvwe, who brought it down to draw in two defenders before finding Smith in space. He finished clinically with his left foot to seal the points and ensure the scoreline reflected Dale’s superiority – even if the performance itself was less comfortable than the numbers suggest.

Indeed, it wasn’t as smooth or controlled as recent outings. Whatmuff was busier than he’d have liked, and there were a few rare errors from the usually reliable Ethan Ebanks-Landell, but it was still job done, especially as Dale’s title rivals all picked up a maximum elsewhere, reinforcing the fact it would be Dale’s feted games in hand that would make the difference.

Tyler Smith finally got the goals his hard work has merited.

The first of those came just three days later, beneath the glow of York City’s LNER Community Stadium floodlights, on a rain-lashed, breath-clouded Tuesday night − the stage once again set for autumn drama. And drama there was, though not in the way the travelling Dale supporters had hoped.

Instead of providing a reassuring cushion, the game left Dale bruised, humbled 4–1, the scoreline owing less to domination than to a fifteen-minute collapse early in the second half that turned an even contest into a rout.

There had been no hint of the storm to come during the opening exchanges. Dale began brightly, commanding possession and playing largely in York’s half. They avoided the traps set by the hosts − notably the temptation to press goalkeeper Harrison Male, which would have opened up space behind them − and for the first 20 minutes they looked comfortably the better side.

Tyler Smith, starting after his two goals at Boston, had the best of several early chances, racing onto a glorious Sam Beckwith pass over the top. His attempted lob was smartly deflected by Male, who stayed big to make the save. From there, York began to find space out wide, showing real quality with their deliveries, though their finishing initially spared Dale further trouble.

That luck ran out when one such cross finally met the head of Ollie Pearce, the league’s standout striker, who guided it deftly inside the post while Ollie Whatmuff sprawled in vain.

It felt cruel, given Dale’s earlier control − but they struck back almost immediately. Emmanuel Dieseruvwe slid in wing-back Tobi Adebayo-Rowling, who took the ball on the bounce and lashed home with conviction. “Game on,” we thought, as the sides went in level after a fascinating, evenly poised first half.

Unfortunately, Stuart Maynard’s half-time reshuffle for York proved decisive. Powerhouse Josh Stones, now pushed in front of Pearce and Ollie Banks, completely altered the dynamic. Dale’s defence simply couldn’t cope as space opened everywhere. Stones bullied his way to two goals, punishing hesitancy and defensive disarray with ruthless efficiency.

To be fair, there was quality in his finishing − but the defending was alarmingly passive and the response from the bench sluggish; by the time changes arrived, Pearce had added another and the contest was effectively over at 4–1.

I count myself among Jim McNulty’s strongest advocates. His system and this squad have more than justified belief this season, outclassing several of the division’s heavyweights without conceding a goal. But if there is a sliver of criticism, it lies in moments like those fifteen minutes at York.

McNulty is steadfastly committed to his system − and rightly so − but when the tide turns so violently, a change in personnel isn’t always enough. Perhaps earlier introductions − Tarryn Allarakhia for Kevin Berkoe to force Joe Felix deeper, or Dan Moss for Ebanks-Landell with Kyron Gordon moving central − might have stemmed the flow. Yet sometimes, when an opponent has cracked the code, it’s shape, not just substitutions, that must adapt.

Still, this remains a minor grumble. This side has put Dale in an enviable position and earned the faith of us supporters. Dale may currently sit fourth in the National League but are still within easy reach of top spot. Lessons will be learned in time for Aldershot on Saturday − provided, of course, those working on the pitch at Spotland have learned a few of their own.

As always, thanks to TVOS/Dan Youngs/Rochdale AFC for use of images.