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| Devante Rodney in action against Braintree. |
Rochdale head into mid-September perched proudly at
the top of the National League table, their only blemish the ill-fated
rotation gamble at Brackley.
Nine wins from ten in all competitions have blended
fluency with resilience, delivering both entertainment and efficiency. What has
emerged is a side not simply riding momentum but forging an identity:
disciplined at the back, flexible in approach and propelled by the relentless
goals of Emmanuel Dieseruvwe. For all the usual cautions about early-season
form, Dale could hardly have hoped for a firmer platform.
They began the month in style. Naming an unchanged
side for the visit of Braintree, Rochdale played with purpose from the outset.
Most of the early threat came down the right, where Aidy Barlow orchestrated
attacks and twice supplied Dieseruvwe with headed chances that were directed
too close to the goalkeeper.
It took a rare foray down the opposite flank to unlock
the visitors. Tarryn Allarakhia swung in a superb cross that the prolific No.9
guided home with trademark precision. His second arrived soon after, a neat
exchange with Tobi Adebayo-Rowling ending with another composed finish. At that
stage Braintree were reeling, and Dale might reasonably have felt aggrieved not
to be four or five ahead by the interval.
The visitors, to their credit, rallied after the
break. A couple of substitutions and a greater willingness to contest the game
higher up the pitch gave them a foothold in midfield that they retained for
much of the half. Rochdale, though, defended with authority, Ethan
Ebanks-Landell again outstanding, with the side still carrying a late threat
through substitute Connor McBride.
The final whistle confirmed the 2-0 victory and another
three points, the type of fixture Dale simply must take care of if they are to
sustain their ambitions. It was also one that provided ample entertainment for
the Spotland crowd. Jim McNulty’s side were, at this stage, delivering
everything asked of them.
Momentum only grew in the days that followed, as
Rochdale’s record-breaking start to the season drew wider recognition. Under
McNulty’s guidance they had played seven games, winning six, collecting 18
points and scoring 15 goals. At the heart of it all was Dieseruvwe, whose seven
goals in seven matches gave the side a cutting edge so often absent in recent
seasons.
The numbers spoke for themselves. Five consecutive
home wins in all competitions from the start of a season − the first time since
1985/86, and only the fourth occasion in the club’s history. Four straight
league victories at Spotland to open a campaign − again the first since that
same season, and just the seventh overall. Most striking of all, 18 points from
the opening seven league fixtures: a new Rochdale record, eclipsing the
17-point returns of 1991/92 and 2001/02.
The accolades duly followed. McNulty was named
National League Manager of the Month for August, while Dieseruvwe’s
irrepressible form earned him Player of the Month. It was a month of milestones
that underlined just how far, and how quickly, the mood around the club had
shifted from the despondency of last season’s play-off defeat.
The challenge then was to carry that form on the road,
beginning with a daunting 345-mile journey to face Truro City. The Cornish
side, new to the division and second bottom at the time, looked on paper the
ideal opponents. The question was whether Dale could turn expectation into
execution.
As it transpired, they could. The trip yielded another
three points, though not without its tests. In the first half Rochdale
repeatedly found pockets of space in the final third, areas from which they
might have punished Truro more ruthlessly. Barlow’s positional freedom again
caught the eye, his ability to drift creating new avenues of attack. It was,
however, a slightly scruffy goal that gave Dale the lead. In the 12th minute,
Ryan East’s corner caused chaos, Kyron Gordon hauled down as goalkeeper George
Stone was caught in the melee. Even grounded, Gordon stayed alive to the
moment, rising just enough to nod the loose ball over the line from close range.
Had Dieseruvwe then converted what, by his standards, was a simple chance, the
contest might have been put to bed as swiftly as Braintree a week earlier.
Instead, the second half brought complications. A
blend of blustery conditions and sloppy passing left Rochdale struggling to
retain possession. In isolation it was probably their poorest 45 minutes of the
season on the ball, the basics of control and distribution too often going
awry. Some of that could be put down to the wind and Truro's changes, yet the decision to go long
from goal kicks also reflected a growing adaptability in McNulty’s side − a
willingness to adjust when conditions demanded it.
What did not falter was the defensive structure.
Organised, resolute and calm under pressure, Dale limited Truro to
half-chances, leaving goalkeeper Oliver Whatmuff to do little more than marshal
his area with authority. There was no panic, no sense of fragility – just a
collective assurance that has become increasingly tangible. Against stronger
sides that resolve will be tested more severely, but embedding such an attitude
early feels an important step in Rochdale’s development.
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| Harvey Gilmour drives through the Truro midfield. |
The only blemish on the trip came when Dieseruvwe
collected his fifth yellow card of the campaign. The caution brings a one-match
suspension under league rules and will deprive Rochdale of their in-form
striker for their next vital league outing. Given the rhythm he has found in
front of goal, his absence will be felt, though it will also offer an early
glimpse of how McNulty’s side can adapt without their focal point.
Dieseruvwe will not be the only enforced absentee.
Injuries have begun to bite, particularly at left wing-back, where summer
signing David Tutonda faces four to six weeks out after a training setback. Joe
Pritchard, so impressive before his knock against Sutton, also remains
sidelined. The club has chosen a conservative, non-surgical path in his
recovery, though a further assessment in six weeks will decide whether an
operation − and a much longer absence − becomes unavoidable. To plug the gap,
McNulty has turned to the loan market, bringing in Kevin Berkoe from Salford
City. His arrival provides short-term cover, but the situation serves as a
reminder of how quickly even an increased squad depth can be stretched across a
long campaign.
The National League Cup brought another opportunity to rotate, and Rochdale
duly made it two wins from two in the competition with a 3-2 victory over
Blackburn Rovers' Under-21s. A much-changed XI again took the field, but the
evening carried a welcome twist in the return of Matty Done. Now part of
McNulty’s coaching staff, the 37-year-old was pressed back into action for what
became his fourth playing spell at the club.
Dale began brightly, Connor McBride continuing
his impressive run of form by finishing off a well-constructed move. His sharpness
and composure in front of goal with each chance he is given seems to enhance his
case for greater involvement in the league side − a dilemma McNulty may soon be
glad to have.
While the forwards seemed to be having joy, the defensive reshuffles left gaps, and Blackburn twice took advantage of some passive defending to turn the game around and lead at the break. The response came after the interval. Anthony Gomez-Mancini, lively once again, levelled with his first goal for the club after neat interplay down the left. His replacement after injury, Jake Burger, proved just as effective, bustling into space to apply the finish that secured the win.
Two sterner league examinations now await to close out September, with Southend and Carlisle lying in wait, Solihull Moors sandwiched between. Together they promise the clearest gauge yet of how far Rochdale have travelled since last season, when too often the bigger occasions brought flatter performances. That judgment is not without nuance − Dale did take 16 points from fellow play-off contenders Altrincham, Halifax and Gateshead − but it was the 4-0 home reverses to Barnet and York that linger most painfully, suggesting a side too respectful of opponents they ought to have treated as equals. The hope now is for a more assertive account, one that reflects the confidence this start has instilled.
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| David Tutonda is out for up to six weeks. |
As always, many thanks to The Voice of Spotland/Dan Youngs/Rochdale AFC for use of images.
