Rochdale’s wild ride to the final day

Jim McNulty celebrates the late winner at Braintree.

 

For much of the season, the National League title race had unfolded away from the glare of the wider game. It had been a compelling contest for those within it but, beyond that, it had struggled to capture sustained mainstream media attention. That, it seemed, changed in an instant at Sutton.

Rochdale’s dramatic, last-gasp victory in South London did more than secure three precious points; it forced a wider audience to take notice. Suddenly, the narrative shifted. The prospect of a final-day meeting with York City was no longer a distant possibility but a looming, potentially decisive showdown − one that could settle the destination of the title itself. Perhaps it was helped by circumstance. With the Premier League paused for international fixtures involving the England national football team, attention drifted, however briefly, down the pyramid. What it found there was a story reaching its crescendo.

The appetite was immediate. Tickets for that final-day encounter at Spotland were released and quickly devoured. Rochdale’s home allocation disappeared rapidly, while in North Yorkshire, demand was such for their own 1,500 allocation that supporters queued overnight outside the LNER Community Stadium, determined to secure their place at what promised to be a defining occasion.

And yet, for all the noise building around it, there remained a caveat. None of it would matter if either side faltered before then. Four games stood between promise and reality.

For Rochdale, the first of those arrived on Good Friday, as they returned to Spotland to face Morecambe. The visitors, second from bottom, had already been edged aside in the reverse fixture on Boxing Day, but much had changed since. The Morecambe of April were under new leadership, with former Dale manager Jim Bentley installed in place of Ashvir Singh Johal. While the timing of his arrival proved too late to realistically preserve their National League status, there had been a discernible lift in performance − enough to ensure that, even here, nothing could be taken for granted.

The occasion had all the hallmarks of another step forward. A bumper Good Friday crowd, momentum carried from the late drama at Sutton, and an opponent struggling near the foot of the table. Instead, it became something altogether more uncomfortable − a performance that further exposed concerns which had been quietly building beneath the surface.

Jim McNulty largely kept faith with the side that had edged past Sutton, but there were notable returns. Oliver Whatmuff came back into the starting line-up following his involvement with the England Under-19s, restoring a familiar presence between the posts, while Harvey Gilmour was included among the substitutes after his lengthy absence. It was a squad beginning, at least on paper, to regain some of its depth at a critical moment in the season.

Rochdale began with visible purpose too. From the first whistle, there was a sharpness to their attacking play, the ball moved quickly into wide areas, and early chances followed. Kyron Gordon’s burst down the right set the tone, while Devante Rodney soon tested the resolve of the visiting defence. The pressure was sustained, and it brought opportunities. Set-pieces in particular offered promise, with Casey Pettit and Gordon both going close, the latter guilty of wasting the clearest of openings with a free header that drifted wide.

The breakthrough, when it came, carried a touch of individual brilliance. Aidan Barlow, assessing his options from the left, produced a looping finish that arced beyond the reach of the goalkeeper and into the far corner. It was a goal that, at that stage, felt like the beginning of something comfortable.

Dale attack a corner against Morecambe.

It should have been. The control was there, the chances were there, and yet the second goal − the one that might have settled the contest − never arrived.

Instead, a familiar pattern re-emerged. For all Dale’s authority in possession, there remained a vulnerability without it. When Morecambe ventured forward for the first time with any real intent, they found space too easily. A passage that should have been dealt with instead ended with Lewis Payne finding the net, the equaliser arriving as a consequence of a defensive lapse that had, of late, become increasingly difficult to ignore.

At half-time, the sense was one of frustration rather than concern. Rochdale had been the better side, created more than enough to lead comfortably, yet found themselves level. It was a theme that, worryingly, no longer felt isolated.

Callum Perry challenging against Morecambe.

The second half did little to ease those concerns. Where a response was expected, what followed was a drop in both intensity and control. The fluency that had defined the opening period gave way to something slower, more hesitant. Passes went astray, momentum stalled, and the game drifted.

Morecambe, by contrast, grew in belief. They did not need many invitations. A second goal, again stemming from a failure to deal with a relatively straightforward situation, saw Payne complete his brace at the back post. Within minutes, the damage deepened. Jack Nolan’s diving header made it three, the ease with which the visitors had turned the game on its head was concerning. At 3–1, the afternoon had shifted to genuine jeopardy.

There was a response, but it came late. The introduction of substitutes, particularly Ian Henderson, injected urgency that had been missing. A goal was initially ruled out for offside, a fleeting moment of hope quickly extinguished, before Henderson produced a finish of real quality, curling into the far corner to reduce the deficit and offer a glimmer of belief. In doing so, he underlined his enduring impact from the bench, his 16th goal as a substitute taking him past Kevin Townson’s previous record and reinforcing his status as Dale’s most reliable game-changer in such moments.

But it was too little, too late. For all the late pressure, the earlier damage proved decisive. In the final moments, as Dale committed bodies forward in search of an equaliser, the game was settled in a manner that summed up the afternoon. Ben Tollitt broke clear following another defensive breakdown and added a fourth, sealing a defeat that was damaging and sobering both.

The reaction at full-time reflected it. A crowd that had arrived expectant left subdued. Elsewhere, York’s victory at Boston − their first there in over half a century − saw them move level with Dale on points and ahead on goal difference. The advantage, painstakingly built, had shifted.

The dramatic nature of the late show at Sutton papered over the cracks of what was an otherwise abject performance. Here, the stationery store was closed. There was no paper to be found to mask what had unfurled.

Twelve goals conceded in five games told the story. For a side whose success had been built on defensive solidity, the shift was stark. Where once there had been blocks made instinctively, second balls attacked decisively − there was now hesitation.

It would have been easy to focus solely on the attacking shortcomings, and there were some. Chances, particularly in the first half, were not taken. But that alone did not define the outcome. On another day, two goals might well have been enough. The more pressing issue lay elsewhere.

This defeat was built on how Rochdale defended.

There were, perhaps, contributing factors. The absence of natural width on both flanks continued to shape the way Dale attacked. With Tobi Adebayo-Rowling and Tarryn Allarakhia unavailable, the balance had been altered. Dan Moss, consistent individually, operated on the left in a way that subtly shifted the team’s attacking patterns, drawing play more predictably to the right and reducing the variety that had previously made Rochdale so difficult to contain. It was a compromise that had been navigated successfully for a time, but now appeared to be taking its toll.

And yet, even within that, Rochdale continued to progress the ball effectively. Building from the back remained intact; territory was gained. The issue was not in reaching dangerous areas, but in what happened next − and, more critically, what happened when possession was lost.

With four games remaining, the sands had shifted. Level with York on points, behind on goal difference, and with defensive questions mounting, Rochdale’s path to the title had become significantly more complicated.

‘We’re disappointed to concede four goals at home because, ultimately, that’s why we don’t win the game today,’ said a dejected Jim McNulty afterwards. ‘Two goals should be enough to win if we’re defending how we have all season. At this moment, we’re not − and that’s something we need to address.

‘Nobody gives you 98 points for free. This league is a meat grinder that tests you in every way possible, and we’ve earned every one of those points we have on the board. There’s a long way to go. We’ll reset, focus on the next moment, and go and attack it.’

Dan Moss headed against the woodwork against Hartlepool.

That next moment was a trip to Hartlepool on Easter Monday, a fixture that carried its own sense of unease. It was Hartlepool who had inflicted one of Rochdale’s few defeats of the season in the reverse meeting back in December, a game played at Accrington Stanley’s ground, where their aggressive, front-foot approach had proven too much for Dale to handle.

Despite a recent 7–0 humbling at Wealdstone, Hartlepool remained within touching distance of the play-off places, their ambitions not yet fully extinguished. That heavy defeat, if anything, only added an element of unpredictability. Wounded sides at this stage of the season could be dangerous, and with their season still alive, there was little doubt they would again look to impose themselves physically and disrupt Rochdale’s rhythm.

From the outset, that pattern was clear. Hartlepool pressed high and with purpose, committing numbers onto Rochdale’s back line. With four players consistently closing down the build-up, Oliver Whatmuff was frequently forced to go long, a concession that played into the hosts’ hands. Without a reliable focal point at the top end of the pitch, those direct passes too often returned as quickly as they had been sent.

There were flashes, certainly. Early intent was evident, particularly down the left where Tarryn Allarakhia, restored to the starting line-up, provided a more natural balance. One such delivery led to the clearest opening of the first half, his looping ball picking out Dan Moss at the back post, whose powerful header crashed against the upright.

In truth, Hartlepool carried the greater threat before the interval. Former Dale winger Tyrese Sinclair, lively throughout, tested Whatmuff with a curling effort that demanded a sharp intervention, while further pressure from set-pieces and second balls kept Dale’s defence engaged. The warning signs were there. Rochdale had enjoyed spells of possession, but penetration had been limited, their forward play lacking both cohesion and conviction.

The second half followed a similar course, albeit with Rochdale able, for a time, to push the game further into Hartlepool’s half − as much the result of the hosts dropping off as any renewed endeavour. The introduction of substitutes, notably Ian Henderson and later Tobi Adebayo-Rowling, brought a shift in emphasis. Where earlier phases had been predictable, now there was at least variation. Adebayo-Rowling’s direct running carried the ball forward, stretching the game in ways that had previously been absent, while Henderson’s movement offered a level of intelligence and unpredictability that unsettled defenders.

Even Mani D couldn't find a way to break the deadlock.

Yet even then, the final action remained elusive. Opportunities to shoot were passed up, moments hesitated upon. Connor McBride and Devante Rodney both found themselves in positions where more conviction might have altered the outcome, only for the chance to dissolve. The longer it remained goalless, the more the game drifted into a familiar tension.

And with that came the inevitable shift. As Rochdale’s attacking impetus waned, pressure returned in the opposite direction. Sloppiness crept in, passes misplaced, clearances hurried. Hartlepool sensed the opportunity but, crucially, could not take it. What might once have been punished went unconverted, and in that, there was at least a measure of fortune.

Ultimately, the goalless draw felt reflective of a broader issue rather than an isolated outcome. This was now a side operating without its usual sharpness, its fluency dulled at a point in the season where precision mattered most. The return of Harvey Gilmour, composed and assured in deeper areas, provided a degree of stability, yet even that could not fully compensate for the lack of a consistent presence ahead of the ball.

More telling still was how the system itself began to show strain. For much of the campaign, it had functioned with remarkable efficiency, each component operating at a level that sustained the collective. Here, and increasingly in recent weeks, that margin had narrowed. When individuals dropped even slightly below that level, the structure lost some of its cohesion. Attacks became predictable, the ball recycled rather than progressed.

There were solutions, perhaps. The impact of Adebayo-Rowling hinted at one. Henderson’s movement at another. But as the final whistle sounded on a game that never truly ignited, the overriding sense was of an opportunity missed to reassert control at a critical juncture.

In isolation, a point away from home was not without value. In context, York City had defeated Altrincham at home and now moved two points clear of Dale in the table with two to play before the final-day showdown.

‘The situation doesn’t really change,’ McNulty said afterwards. ‘We go into the final three games knowing that if we win them, we win the league. That’s the objective.

‘You have to keep perspective. After conceding four in the last game, to come here and keep a clean sheet against a team with real attacking threat is very pleasing.

‘The backing today was outstanding. If we win the next few, it sets up the mother of all shootouts on the final day. And if we win all three, we know exactly what that means.’

Harvey Gilmour back in the midfield against Wealdstone.

The next step came at Spotland, where Wealdstone were the visitors.

On paper, it was a fixture that offered encouragement. Dale had won the reverse meeting 3–1 back in August, a performance built on total control. But little about the run-in now lent itself to easy assumptions. Wealdstone arrived a changed side under the experienced Gary Waddock, their recent form pointing to a team revitalised at precisely the moment it mattered most. A remarkable 7–0 victory over Hartlepool had underlined their attacking threat, while a composed 3–0 win against Aldershot reinforced their growing confidence. Added to that was the momentum of a place secured in the FA Trophy Final.

For Rochdale, the challenge was clear. This was no longer simply about performance, but about nerve. Having watched a recalcitrant York once again prevail in the earlier kick-off, this time 1-0 against a spirited Tamworth side, that nerve would be tested more severely than at any time previously in the campaign.

But for long stretches, this was a performance devoid of the urgency that the occasion demanded. Rochdale had possession, often in advanced areas, but rarely did they translate it into meaningful threat. The ball moved without incision, options appeared limited, and the composure that had defined their best displays was, once again, conspicuously absent.

There had been early signs of promise. Dan Moss glanced a header wide, while Emmanuel Dieseruvwe tested Dante Baptiste from distance and later had the ball in the net, only for the flag to intervene. Tobi Adebayo-Rowling, making his first start since February, offered a willing outlet, yet the overall pattern remained sterile. Too often, promising positions dissolved into recycled possession, the tempo insufficient to unsettle a Wealdstone side content to remain organised and disciplined.

The underlying issue was not simply tactical, but emotional. There was a tension to Rochdale’s play, a sense of a side caught between patience and urgency, and fully committing to neither. Even in deeper areas, where their composure had previously been a strength, there were, once again, signs of hesitation.

When the breakthrough came, it was not for the hosts. Just before the hour mark, a partially cleared set-piece was returned into the area and, after a neat exchange, Deon Woodman converted from close range. It was a familiar concession, too − another moment where Rochdale failed to deal decisively with a second ball, continuing a recent pattern of defensive lapses that had begun to undermine their control.

For a time, the response was muted. Confidence appeared fragile, the forward line struggling to impose itself, and the sense grew that this might be the afternoon where the title challenge finally faltered. Yet if the performance lacked fluency, the resolve, once again, did not.

McNulty turned to his bench, and with it, the dynamic shifted. Luke Hannant introduced a natural outlet, offering width and delivery where previously there had been none. John-Kymani Gordon, operating with greater freedom, began to stretch the play, while the introduction of Ian Henderson altered the very nature of the attack. His movement alone forced Wealdstone to rethink, his presence unsettling.

JK Gordon crosses against Wealdstone.

Ed Francis, calm and assured in possession, added a measure of control that had been lacking in the middle, allowing Rochdale to sustain pressure with greater purpose. Gradually, almost imperceptibly at first, the balance of the game began to tilt.

The equaliser, when it arrived with 12 minutes remaining, was testament to this. Francis lifted a delicate pass over the defence, Henderson read it instinctively, cushioning it with his chest before volleying a finish with a composure that has long defined him. It was a goal that changed not just the scoreline, but the belief within the ground.

From there, momentum took hold. And as the game entered its final moments, it was rewarded. Devante Rodney, finding space on the edge of the area, slipped the ball into Hannant’s path, and the substitute responded by driving a thumping low effort into the bottom corner to complete the turnaround.

There was still time for one final test of resolve, Oliver Whatmuff producing a crucial save to preserve the advantage, but this time Rochdale held firm. The whistle, when it came, confirmed not just victory, but survival within the title race.

Luke Hannant celebrates his incredible winner against Wealdstone.

In truth, this had been one of Rochdale’s poorest performances in possession. For over an hour, they had looked a side weighed down by the moment, lacking the sharpness that had carried them so far. And yet, when it mattered most, as they did at Sutton, they found a way.

It was not control that defined this afternoon, but character. For 75 minutes, there had been little to suggest a positive outcome. But they never let go − not the players, not the bench, not the supporters. And in the end, when quality finally met belief, it was enough.

The title race, improbably at times, lived on.

‘It was a special one, adding to a catalogue of moments that have made this a special season,’ McNulty said afterwards. ‘We’ve reached 102 points – that’s history-making – and I can’t praise the players enough for the belief they showed to turn around a situation that looked perilous.

‘The impact from the bench was outstanding. They could have felt sorry for themselves, but instead they came on and gave everything for the team. That sums this group up.’

In the afterglow of that extraordinary, nerve-shredding victory, the club paused − briefly − to recognise the individuals who had carried them to the brink of something remarkable.

At the end-of-season awards, Harvey Gilmour’s influence across the campaign was emphatically underlined, collecting the Supporters’ Player of the Season and multiple other accolades, a reflection of his connection with the stands. Kyron Gordon, meanwhile, was recognised by those within the dressing room and beyond, landing both the Players’ Player and Club Player of the Season awards.

There were nods, too, to defining moments and emerging talent. Casey Pettit’s strike against Eastleigh was voted Goal of the Season, while Oliver Whatmuff’s development was honoured with the Young Player award. Across the club, contributions at every level were acknowledged − from community impact to the women’s team − reinforcing a sense that this was not just a squad chasing history, but a club moving forward together, as per the ownership group’s mission.

It felt, in that moment, like a celebration. But with two games still to play, the real prize remained just out of reach.

The penultimate step on the road to a potential title decider was a trip to Essex to face Braintree Town. It was a fixture that offered zero margin for error. Braintree, a hybrid of part-time and full-time players whose relegation from the National League had already been confirmed, were playing only for pride. With the title race finely poised, anything other than victory for Rochdale would all but hand the initiative to York.

This feeling was best summed up by Emmanuel Dieseruvwe, when he said pre-match, ‘The boys have got to give their lives for these last two games now… it’s a really important time to really focus and lock in. When you're away from home, you’ve got to respect it and do what it takes on the day to get the victory. And where we are now, it’s something we really need to do.’

The ‘life and death’ analogy almost proved fitting. Before Dale's relegation to the National League, this writer only knew Braintree as the hometown of the Prodigy. On a dusty pitch that looked more like a village cricket outfield in September than a football surface, it almost became better known as the graveyard of Rochdale's title ambitions.

Jim McNulty made two changes from the Wealdstone game, with Devante Rodney and Luke Hannant coming in, and Joe Pritchard returning from injury to take a place on the bench. Dale almost had the lead inside six minutes, Hannant bundling his way past a couple of defenders on the edge of the area before seeing his effort cleared off the line − the unforgiving pitch doing as much to slow it down as any defensive intervention. Dale missed other chances too − Dieseruvwe and Kyron Gordon in chief.

The hosts, however − winless in nine − had other ideas than simply rolling over and allowing their visitors to set up a final day showdown. Goran Babic fired over. Lewis Walker had a shot well blocked. Chay Cooper saw an effort deflected inches wide and dragged another off target. Three very good chances for a team with nothing left to play for. The defensive wobbles that had crept into recent performances were visible again, a back three that had once felt so assured now carrying an edge of hesitancy.

It was addressed, fleetingly at least, by a moment of fortune and composure at the other end. Less than 10 minutes before the break, a ball forward was contested, Aidan Francis-Clarke hooked it across his own area, and it fell kindly for Aidan Barlow. He held his nerve, and found the bottom corner. Dale went into half-time a goal to the good.

The second half began with more purpose. Dieseruvwe headed Hannant's deep cross wide, then flicked a header into the path of Barlow, whose dipping effort was well held by Caleb Ansen. The tempo was higher, the spaces there to exploit − and yet Dale couldn't convert them.

Dale then seemed content to regress into protecting their slender lead rather than seeking to expand upon it. It was around this point that the limitations of the afternoon began to show more clearly. Ryan East and Harvey Gilmour were both looking a tired combination, the midfield pairing lacking the sharpness to retain the ball and dictate the tempo that had briefly looked so promising after the break. Changes were made from the bench, but the approach remained. Protect the lead. See it out. It is a logic that makes sense if it pays off, but makes the heart sink in the stands when it doesn’t.

Oliver Whatmuff had already been tested a couple of times. But just 10 seconds into seven added minutes, substitute John Akinde got in front of his marker to bundle home a ball lofted into the box. Braintree had equalised. Time seemed to stop.

It looked as though Dale were being consigned to the play-offs at the most painful possible juncture, handing a guard of honour to York City on their own turf rather than contesting a title.

And then − the 99th minute. A clearance. Callum Perry, just inside the Braintree half on the left, pumping a ball forward. Dan Moss nodding it into the box. Emmanuel Dieseruvwe, who had started to look a threat again, controlling and finishing to Ansen's left into the inside netting. The final kick of the game. The visiting support went wild.

Mass celebrations erupt at Braintree.

‘The flame still burns for this team − it won’t go out,’ said a visibly jubilant McNulty afterwards. ‘In those final moments there was no shape, no plan, just pure belief from everyone and, somehow, we found a way. We just haven’t gone away.

‘The happiness it brings to everyone − the fans, the families, everyone connected to the club − that’s what makes moments like this so special. You can’t replicate it.

‘We’ve run a marathon this season, and these last few weeks have been insane − but all we wanted was this final game. Now we’ve given ourselves that chance.’

McNulty was right. The result was all that mattered here, and it was delivered. As good as the effort of this season has been, and it has been extraordinary, Dale almost didn't get the job done against a side with nothing left to fight for. That they did said something about character, even if it said rather less about the control that had defined them for most of the season.

There is now a week to get through before what is arguably the biggest game in this club's history. The selection against York will be almost secondary. Whoever goes out there will have to show up and keep going until the final whistle, just as they did at Braintree. Dale can play badly and win. The pressure is all on York.

No other finale would have been fitting.

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

Casey Pettit scores another pearler, this time against Southend.

The time had come for Rochdale to play their ace card in the title race: the game in hand over York City. The setting, however, could scarcely have been more demanding. The trip was to Southend United − a side firmly in the play-off hunt and therefore fighting for a season that remained very much alive.

For Rochdale supporters, the opponents also stirred uncomfortable memories. It was Southend who had ended Dale’s promotion hopes in the previous season’s play-offs. Even this campaign’s earlier meeting between the sides had proved stubbornly difficult to stage, winter weather and the Spotland pitch forcing three attempts before it could finally be completed. Few fixtures in the run-in arrived with quite so much context attached. Layered onto that context was the journey itself. Dale had been required to make the trip to the south twice in four days − a stretch that had quite literally involved planes, trains and automobiles − and while only a minor detail, it was not entirely insignificant.

Set against that backdrop, the evening did not unfold as Rochdale might have hoped. From the outset, there was a sharpness about Southend that an unchanged Dale struggled to match. Too often in the opening exchanges, passes that would ordinarily find their mark were cut out, angles were closed, and the familiar rhythm of building from the back never got going. Instead, it was Southend who dictated the early tempo, pressing with intent and forcing hurried decisions.

The warning signs were there before the damage was done. When the opening goal arrived inside three minutes, it certainly was not against the run of play. Possession was lost on Dale’s right, the space between the centre-backs exposed, and Harry Boyes was set free into space, the wing-back's cross inch perfect for Andy Dallas to slot home with a first-time finish.

Worse followed. A set-piece, delivered without particular menace, was allowed to drift into a crowded area from the right untouched. A square pass was initially blocked but James Golding reacted quickest, turning the loose ball home while static away shirts looked on.

At two down inside 20 minutes, the evening threatened to unravel entirely. Yet this Rochdale side had built their season on resilience as much as they had control, and their response came swiftly. A sweeping move, one that finally carried the tempo that had been missing, ended with Dan Moss cushioning a ball into the path of Emmanuel Dieseruvwe, who finished with customary assurance. His 24th league goal reduced the deficit and, briefly, altered the mood.

For a spell, Dale looked like themselves again. The ball moved quicker, Southend were forced backwards, and chances began to follow. Ryan East was denied by a last-ditch challenge just as he shaped to shoot, while Devante Rodney’s volley flew narrowly over.

But if Rochdale’s attacking play had rediscovered its flow, their defending continued to undermine it. The third goal, when it came before the half-hour, carried a weary sense of familiarity. Another delivery into the box was not properly dealt with, the ball dropping invitingly for Tom Hopper, who buried at the second attempt after an initial parry from Oliver Whatmuff, and the two-goal cushion was restored.

That, ultimately, was the difference. Where Rochdale required precision in both boxes, they found it only in one.

The second half gradually tilted back towards something more recognisable. Southend’s early intensity began to fade and, with it, the spaces Dale relied upon started to appear. The ball was circulated with greater patience, the press was evaded more cleanly, and the contest settled into the pattern that had underpinned so much of their recent form.

The second goal, when it arrived, was again a moment of individual brilliance. Gordon drove forward before the ball broke to Casey Pettit some 20 yards from goal. He needed no second invitation − a curling strike that arced beyond the goalkeeper and into the far corner. For the second time in the week, he had produced a finish of real quality.

At 3–2, the game felt poised in a way it had not since the opening minutes. Dale pushed, as they invariably did, committing bodies forward and probing for the equaliser. Substitute Tyler Smith saw an effort blocked, then glanced a header onto the crossbar, while Dieseruvwe’s persistence brought another chance that deflected wide. The momentum, for long stretches, belonged to the visitors.

Yet Southend, aided by changes from the bench, found enough renewed energy to disrupt the rhythm just as it began to build. The spaces tightened once more, the final pass eluded, and the clear opening required to complete the comeback never quite arrived.

In the end, the defining feature of the evening was not how Rochdale attacked, but how they defended. In possession, there was little deviation from the principles that had carried them to the summit: control, width, patience and an underlying threat that suggested more goals were there to be had. Indeed, on another night, they might have scored more than twice.

But matches at this stage of the season turned on the basic details − the distances between defenders, the reactions to second balls, the organisation in moments that demand it. Here, those details fell short. The space in behind, particularly down Dale’s right, was exposed too readily; the connection between wing-back and centre-back lacked its usual assurance; and set-pieces, a point of weakness.

It was a performance that echoed previous warnings − Hartlepool, Halifax and that costly spell against York − where control with the ball masked lapses without it. The lesson, by now, was an unmistakable one. It also marked Dale’s first defeat of 2026 – an unbelievable 15-game run halted, if only briefly, in Essex.

Ethan Ebanks-Landell couldn't stop the relentless charge of the Southend attack.

‘We’re disappointed with how we started the game,’ McNulty reflected afterwards. ‘Ultimately, that made it difficult because we were chasing it very early − and that wasn’t at the level we’ve been.

‘We created a lot of chances and scored two goals away from home, which you’d hope is enough to take something − but it wasn’t tonight.’

Rochdale’s game in hand – their one key advantage over fellow title chasers York – had been spent with no return. They maintained a two-point lead at the summit but, from here on in, they could afford no more slip ups.

There was little time to dwell. Four days later, Rochdale were required to dust themselves down and go again, returning to Spotland on a glorious spring afternoon to face mid-table, part-time Tamworth. While the visitors had built a formidable reputation on their own synthetic surface, this was a different examination entirely; on grass, there was a quiet confidence that Dale could reassert themselves.

But they were dealt a blow prior to kick-off when it was announced they would be without Ollie Whatmuff for the upcoming fixtures at Scunthorpe and Sutton after the goalkeeper’s call-up to the England under-19 squad for their UEFA European Championship elite round campaign in Portugal. The Young Lions were set to face Portugal, Poland and Serbia between 25 and 31 March, with a place at the 2026 finals in Wales at stake.

And there was a further complication to contend with, too. Tarryn Allarakhia would also miss those league games due to his call-up to the Tanzania squad for the FIFA Series − with fixtures in Rwanda against Liechtenstein and either Aruba or Macau to follow. This only served to exacerbate an already stretched wing-back department. With Joe Pritchard, Tobi Adebayo-Rowling and Bryant Bilongo all sidelined, Allarakhia had been providing cover on the right, allowing Dan Moss to operate on the left. Neither, for much of the season, had been the established first-choice in those roles, and Allarakhia’s temporary absence threatened to place further strain on an area of the pitch that had already required adaptation.

Against that backdrop, Rochdale moved quickly to strengthen, securing the signing of Luke Hannant from Oldham Athletic.

The experienced wide man, 32, arrived on a deal through to the end of the 2026/27 campaign, bringing with him both versatility and a proven track record at National League level. Comfortable operating across the flanks, Hannant offered a timely solution to the immediate shortage, as well as longer-term depth in a position that had already demanded significant reshuffling throughout the season.

Speaking after completing the move, Hannant acknowledged the speed of the transfer and his eagerness to contribute.

‘It’s all happened pretty quickly, conversations were held between myself and the gaffer,’ he said. ‘I’m happy to get it done now. I’m over the moon about it.

‘I achieved a good number of games with Gateshead at this level and I can’t wait to try to finish the season well. I know the philosophies that Jimmy has and it was always a team I could see myself being a part of one day. I’m ready to help.’

And he was introduced to proceedings immediately, McNulty naming Hannant among the substitutes for the visit of Tamworth, with Tyler Smith replacing Aidan Barlow the only other change from the side that had started at Southend.

Emmanuel Dieseruvwe couldn't convert against Tamworth.

Rochdale began as they often had throughout the campaign: on the front foot. Early signs were encouraging. Tarryn Allarakhia was involved in much of the initial thrust, while Emmanuel Dieseruvwe and Devante Rodney both saw efforts blocked as Dale established territorial dominance. The breakthrough arrived on 13 minutes. Ryan East, collecting a knockdown inside the area, steadied himself before placing his finish with precision beyond Jas Singh.

At that point, the game appeared to be settling into a familiar pattern: Rochdale in control, probing for openings, their opponents largely contained. And yet, beneath the surface, there were early warning signs. Tamworth, when they broke, did so with intent, targeting space in behind a defensive line that, as it had in recent weeks, looked uncertain.

The equaliser came with their first meaningful attack, Dan Creaney glancing home a header that owed as much to Dale’s positional vulnerability as it did to Tamworth’s execution. Eleven minutes later, the pattern repeated itself. A direct ball into the channels exposed space once more, and Oliver Lynch took full advantage, racing unopposed to curl beyond Oliver Whatmuff, who was left stranded. From a position of authority, Rochdale suddenly found themselves behind.

It was, in many ways, difficult to reconcile with what had unfolded. Dale had been dominant in possession and purposeful in their approach, yet Tamworth’s counter-attacking threat made it appear, at times, as though this was a scenario not previously encountered. Lynch, lively and direct, caused particular problems, though he was not without assistance.

To Dale’s credit, the response was immediate. Within five minutes, parity was restored. The move was constructed with greater urgency, the delivery from Allarakhia precise, and Dan Moss’s commitment at the back post unquestionable, the wing-back hurling himself into a diving header that levelled the contest, colliding with the upright in the process. Thankfully he suffered no lasting damage.

Thankfully Dan Moss was unhurt after getting Dale level.

The first half, however, still had one more twist. A foul on Casey Pettit offered Dieseruvwe the chance to restore Rochdale’s lead from the penalty spot, only for his effort to crash back off the underside of the crossbar. It was, perhaps, the clearest illustration of a broader issue: for all their good work, Rochdale were not converting control into decisive advantage.

If the opening period had been chaotic, the second was defined by mounting pressure. Rochdale resumed in the ascendancy and, this time, sustained it. Kyron Gordon forced an early save, while Rodney, Tyler Smith and Dieseruvwe all went close without finding the target. East came within inches of his second, his strike from distance rebounding off the inside of the post and away to safety.

At the other end, Whatmuff was required to intervene twice in quick succession from set-pieces, a reminder that the Tamworth threat had not entirely dissipated. Yet as the half wore on, the pattern became increasingly one-sided. Wave after wave of Rochdale attacks followed, the pressure building, the sense of inevitability growing.

Central to that shift was the introduction of Aidan Barlow from the bench, whose energy and directness provided a renewed impetus. Where earlier phases had occasionally lacked incision, his presence brought a sharper edge, a willingness to commit defenders and force openings.

Still, the decisive moment required patience. It arrived with nine minutes remaining. Barlow’s delivery found its way to the back post, where Ian Henderson, so often the author of decisive contributions, brought the ball under control with his chest before guiding a finish into the far corner with characteristic composure. It was his 166th goal for the club, and one that carried a significance beyond its immediate context.

There remained time for late anxiety. Tamworth, refusing to relent, struck the crossbar through Michael Reindorf and launched a series of long throws into the area, testing both resolve and organisation. This time, however, Rochdale held firm.

In the end, the margin was narrow, but the outcome felt deserved. For long periods, Dale had been dominant, yet their defensive structure − so reliable for much of the season − had shown signs of vulnerability, particularly in dealing with balls played into the channels behind the wide centre-backs. It was notable that Callum Perry, the least experienced of the back three, did appear to adjust after the interval, his positioning more assured, his interventions calmer. Then again, it is easy to forget, while munching on a meat and potato pie in the stand, how difficult the senior game is for young players.

More broadly, the game reinforced a familiar theme. Good positions were found with regularity, but too often they failed to yield clear, testable efforts on goal. On another afternoon, the contest might have been settled far earlier.

There was tension, certainly − within the ground and within the broader context of the title race − but it rarely translated into anxiety on the pitch. That, in itself, spoke to the character of the side.

As the final whistle sounded, the emotional release was unmistakable. For a time, the prospect of the title challenge unravelling had felt uncomfortably real. Instead, it was reinforced. Henderson’s goal ensured that Rochdale remained two points clear at the summit, with seven games remaining.

‘I felt sharp when I came on, everything just felt right,’ Henderson said afterwards. ‘Body good, mind clear. I got into some great positions, but I missed a couple of chances and, for a split second, that doubt creeps in.

‘But only for a split second. That’s the difference. I’ve trained my mind over years to reset, to come back to belief. If I don’t believe I can do it, then there’s no chance.

‘When the next one came, I tracked it, brought it down on my chest and everything just slowed. No panic, just rhythm. It’s a finish I’ve practised thousands of times − and as soon as it left my foot, I knew.

‘That’s what it’s about. Those moments. Contributing when it matters. And when it goes in… it’s just pure joy. That feeling never gets old.’

Ian Henderson secured all three points against Tamworth.

Attention quickly turned to the next test. A midweek journey to Scunthorpe United offered little in the way of comfort, the hosts themselves pressing to cement a place in the play-offs. The fixture also carried a lingering sense of grievance. Only a month had passed since the meeting at Spotland, where the controversy surrounding Emmanuel Dieseruvwe’s untaken penalty had contributed to two points slipping away. Elsewhere, the rhythm of the title race had taken another turn. York City, having played the previous evening, had stumbled to a 3–1 defeat against a Gateshead side battling at the opposite end of the table. Rather than apply pressure, it presented Rochdale with an opportunity − one that, if taken, could further strengthen their position at the summit.

Dale were handed another boost ahead of the trip by the timely arrival of goalkeeper Ben Winterbottom on a short-term loan from Barrow, providing cover for Oliver Whatmuff during his international absence.

The 24-year-old arrived with a strong pedigree, having progressed through the academies of Blackburn Rovers and Liverpool before gaining valuable senior experience in non-league, notably with AFC Fylde where he stood out against Dale the previous season for his shot-stopping. Confident with the ball at his feet and eager to contribute, Winterbottom offered reassurance that Whatmuff’s absence would be adequately covered at a crucial stage of the season.

He was thrown straight into the fray too. Luke Hannant also made his first Dale start following his debut against Tamworth, in place of Tarryn Allarakhia. Aidan Barlow returned in place of Tyler Smith.

There was an immediacy to Rochdale’s start at Glanford Park, as if intent on seizing the opportunity placed before them. Inside two minutes, Hannant was presented with an early sight of goal, his effort blocked after being picked out by Callum Perry’s cross. It set the tone for an opening spell in which Dale looked sharp, purposeful, and capable of taking control.

Yet the contest soon settled into something more attritional. The surface, cutting up as the game wore on, made fluency difficult, and Scunthorpe proved well equipped to deal with a more direct approach. Long balls forward often ran beyond their intended target, while attempts to find Emmanuel Dieseruvwe centrally were frequently snuffed out by the imposing presence of Andrew Boyce. Scunthorpe also offered a threat of their own.

It required a moment of simplicity, rather than craft, to break the deadlock. Just past the half-hour, a long ball forward was flicked on into space, and Hannant, alive to the opportunity, struck early. The finish was instinctive and precise, a low drive into the near corner that gave Rochdale the lead. It was, if nothing else, the kind of goal the conditions demanded – direct.

Winterbottom, meanwhile, was already justifying his inclusion. A sharp save to his right to deny Callum Roberts, followed by a confident claim from a Danny Whitehall header, ensured that Rochdale reached the interval with their advantage intact. It had not been straightforward, but it had been effective.

The second half began in a manner that suggested Rochdale were ready to assert greater control. Within six minutes, their lead was doubled, albeit in unorthodox fashion. A loose clearance from Louis Jones fell invitingly to Devante Rodney on halfway, who lifted the ball back towards goal. Under pressure from Aidan Barlow, the goalkeeper’s attempted intervention only succeeded in diverting the ball into the forward’s path, leaving him with the simplest of tasks to carry it into an unguarded net.

Ethan Ebanks-Landell in the thick of it against Scunthorpe.

At 2–0, the opportunity was there to be fully grasped. And for a time, Rochdale appeared composed enough to do so. Even when Scunthorpe responded − pulling a goal back on the hour after a breakdown in communication between Perry and Winterbottom allowed Roberts to capitalise − there remained a sense of control in Dale’s play once the immediate disruption had passed.

But where Rochdale had adapted well to the conditions, the familiar issue resurfaced at a decisive moment. The game was not slipping through structure or strategy, but through individual lapses. Winterbottom, excellent for much of the evening, had been unfortunate in the first goal, and as the closing stages approached, another error proved costly. Substitute Jake Burger conceded a corner that might have been avoided, and from it, with the pressure building and bodies committed forward, Rochdale failed to adequately clear the delivery. Alfie Beestin reacted quickest, driving home to level the contest with three minutes remaining.

There was still time for one final twist. Deep into stoppage time, the ball found its way into the Scunthorpe net, only for an offside flag to intervene, denying what would have been a decisive late winner. It was a moment that encapsulated the night − so close to resolution, yet ultimately incomplete.

In isolation, a point away at a play-off-chasing side would not normally be cause for concern. But context, at this stage of the season, altered that view. Having established a two-goal lead, this was an opportunity that had slipped.

And yet, the performance itself told a more nuanced story. Rochdale had adjusted intelligently after the opening exchanges, recognising the limitations of the surface and altering their approach accordingly. For long periods, they had looked composed, even after conceding, their response measured rather than panicked.

‘There’s natural disappointment that we’ve given up points from a leading position,’ Jim McNulty said after the game. ‘But if I’m assessing the performance, taking the scoreline aside, I’m happy. I really am.

‘I thought our control of the game for so much of it was really good, especially in a difficult place on a surface that had a huge impact on moments and goals. In truth, I think we were unlucky not to win.’

The underlying issue lay elsewhere. Too many goals were being conceded that could − and should − have been avoided. It was not a systemic flaw, nor a tactical one, but a matter of execution in key moments. Those small lapses, increasingly frequent, were beginning to carry greater consequence.

In the stands, the tension was unmistakable. What had been an opportunity to extend the advantage instead felt precarious, the three-point cushion over York tempered by the knowledge of their superior goal difference. It was a lead, but not yet a decisive one.

There were also signs of strain beneath the surface. Since Liam Hogan’s departure, the lack of natural cover at centre-back had become more apparent, with limited options available to reshape or reinforce when required. Players could adapt, certainly, but it was far from ideal in the midst of a title run-in.

That need for reinforcement was recognised. In the days that followed, Rochdale moved to strengthen, securing the loan signings of John-Kymani Gordon from Colchester United and Archie Baptiste from Middlesbrough, both arriving through to the end of the season.

Baptiste, a commanding central defender standing at six foot four, arrived with a pedigree shaped through the academies of Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur before continuing his development at Middlesbrough, where he had captained their Premier League 2 side and made his senior debut earlier in the campaign. His addition offered a more natural solution to the defensive imbalance that had begun to emerge, providing both presence and depth at a critical point in the run-in.

Gordon, meanwhile, brought a different profile. Comfortable operating across the front line, the wide player added further attacking flexibility, having gained valuable experience through spells in the EFL following his progression at Crystal Palace. His contributions at Carlisle United − where he scored on debut and played a role in their promotion, including the winning goal at Spotland during Rochdale’s relegation season three years earlier − along with subsequent time at Cambridge United, AFC Wimbledon and Colchester United, pointed to a player accustomed to the demands of senior football.

With the squad bolstered and the run-in entering its final stretch, attention turned once more to the next challenge.

Rochdale’s month concluded with a trip to Sutton United, a side still adjusting to life back in the National League in what was their second season following relegation from League Two. While their campaign had proved a challenging one, leaving them in the lower reaches of the table, the immediate threat of relegation had largely subsided. On paper, it was a fixture that favoured Dale – and they had already beaten them at Spotland back in August – but, as recent weeks had shown, little at this stage of the season could be taken for granted.

McNulty made only a single change from the side that had drawn at Scunthorpe, with Tyler Smith coming in for Devante Rodney, while recent arrivals Baptiste and Gordon were named among the substitutes. It was a selection that left options to alter the game if required − a decision that would become increasingly relevant as the afternoon unfolded.

From the outset, there was a flatness to Rochdale’s play that had not been evident before March. The usual composure in possession was absent, replaced instead by hurried decisions and a tendency to bypass midfield altogether. Too often, the ball was sent forward with little conviction, and just as frequently returned. Sutton, organised and energetic, closed passing lanes effectively and capitalised on the resulting turnovers, ensuring the contest was played largely on their terms.

The conditions did little to help. A swirling wind disrupted rhythm and made control difficult, but it did not fully explain the lack of fluency. Dale appeared unsettled, unable to establish the control that had underpinned so much of their campaign. Clear chances were scarce. Aidan Barlow’s effort from distance drifted over, while at the other end Lewis Simper provided Sutton’s most consistent threat, testing Ben Winterbottom and remaining at the centre of much of their forward play.

There was a sense, even before the interval, that something more would be required. The balance in attack was not quite right. Emmanuel Dieseruvwe, so often a reliable focal point, appeared hampered, his influence limited, and without that central presence, Rochdale’s forward play lacked cohesion.

The second half brought improvement, though initially only in degree rather than kind. There was greater intent, more willingness to commit bodies forward, yet the execution remained inconsistent. Crosses drifted beyond their targets, passes failed to connect, and for all the territorial gains, clear openings remained elusive. Sutton, by contrast, maintained their energy and discipline, and continued to pose a threat on the break.

The introduction of substitutes began to shift the dynamic. Ian Henderson’s presence offered a clearer focal point, his movement unsettling defenders in a way that had been lacking. Devante Rodney, also introduced from the bench, began to find space in the penalty area, while Connor McBride provided a more direct outlet. There were glimpses now of something more cohesive, even if it was still some distance from the control Rochdale would have expected of themselves.

Henderson then thought he had put Dale ahead when rounding the goalkeeper and finishing from close range, only for the effort to be ruled out for offside.

Yet just as momentum hinted at turning, the game appeared to slip away. Immediately after, with 12 minutes remaining, Sutton struck. Charlie Bell, afforded space from distance, delivered a finish of genuine quality, his effort rifling beyond Winterbottom and into the top corner. It was a goal that shifted the balance of the afternoon entirely. From a position of frustration, Rochdale now faced the prospect of defeat.

But this side, as they had shown repeatedly, were not easily dismissed. In the closing moments, McBride delivered a cross of real quality into the area, and Rodney, reacting instinctively, guided a volley beyond the goalkeeper to restore parity. It was a lifeline.

Even then, there was time for one final twist. Deep into stoppage time, with the game seemingly settled, Dale forced one last opportunity. A delivery from the left caused uncertainty, the ball breaking in the six-yard area. Rodney tried to stab home but missed, however, there, inevitably, was Henderson. Composed where others might have rushed, he applied the finishing touch from close range. In an instant, what had appeared a damaging defeat, then a draw, was transformed into something altogether wonderful.

Three points have never felt so precious as they did at Sutton.

The reaction was immediate and visceral. Relief as much as celebration. Players and supporters alike understood the significance, even if the performance itself raised uncomfortable questions. At the final whistle, tensions spilled over, with confrontations between both sets of players and staff reflecting the intensity of the occasion. Sutton manager Chris Agutter saw red not just in mist but from the referee during the altercation.

In truth, this had been one of Rochdale’s poorest displays of the season. They had lacked fluency and composure. The wing-backs, so often central to their attacking structure, struggled to impose themselves, while the midfield never fully established control. And yet, within that, there were signs of adaptation. The shift in personnel, the subtle adjustments – Dan Moss appearing more comfortable after switching flanks following the introduction of John-Kymani Gordon − offered something to build upon.

More than anything, though, it was the response that defined the afternoon. Where the performance fell short, the collective resolve did not. There was a togetherness, a refusal to accept the outcome that had seemed inevitable.

It is often said, somewhat cliched perhaps, that potential champions find a way. Here, Rochdale did − just as they had against Tamworth, and just as they would need to again. The three points, harsh on Sutton perhaps, ensured the title race remained firmly in their hands. The win also meant that Rochdale had surpassed their record for the most away points in a season, when they had secured 43 points on the road in 2007/08.

‘The dramatic ending was incredible,’ McNulty said afterwards. ‘Football throws you these moments every now and again. But it’s the players’ belief to keep going. This team has never lacked that. No one gave us anything this season – we’ve had to earn it. And what you saw at the end there, that willingness to keep going, that’s what this group is about.’

With April approaching, five games remain. The pressure is unrelenting and, at the finish line, York City await.

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