Bristol Rovers Vs Rochdale, Memorial Stadium, Bristol, Saturday 16th March 2013, Npower League 2, Kick Off 3:00pm please log in to view this image Vs please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Rochdale A.F.C. At A Glance please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Nickname: The Dale Founded: 1907 Ground: Spotland Capacity: 10,249 Manager: Keith Hill Website: http://www.rochdaleafc.co.uk/ Current League Position: 17th - PLD 37 W 12 D 10 L 15 GD -5 PTS 46 Current Form: D L L W D Last Five League Games Barnet (A) D 0-0 Accrington Stanley (H) L 3-0 Morecambe (A) L 3-0 Wycombe Wanderers (H) W 4-1 York City (A) D 0-0 Head To Head Table (Overall 27 Matches) Rochdale W 9 D 14 L 4 GF 35 GA 28 The Gas W 4 D 14 L 9 GF 28 GA 35 At The Gas Rochdale W 3 D 8 L 2 GF 16 GA 16 The Gas W 2 D 8 L 3 GF 16 GA 16 At Rochdale Rochdale W 6 D 6 L 2 GF 19 GA 12 The Gas W 2 D 6 L 6 GF 12 GA 19 Last Time Out Saturday 17th November Rochdale 2 - 1 The Gas League Two please log in to view this image please log in to view this image please log in to view this image
This is a game we should win in style some of us (including me) thought the Chesterfield game would of been an easy conquest but it wasn't I would like to say we will win this 3 or 4 nil but it doesn't work like that. Rochdale have been hit and miss recently they have scored 4 and conceded 7 with two defeats ending in 3-0 to Morecambe and fellow strugglers Accrington respectively but thet did smash Wycombe 4-1 . So I will nice to them and say they wil score one. My prediction.......... Bristol Rovers 3-1 Rochdale (see not a total walk over) Gas Scorers - Brunt (2) Hitchcock Rochdale - Parkes (og) sorry don't know any of there players Attendance - 6780
Prices slashed for the match With home games coming thick and fast throughout March, we are slashing prices across the ground for our game against Rochdale this weekend. The Dale visit the Memorial Stadium on Saturday, and we are aiming for another bumper crowd to cheer John Ward and his side to three more points. Adult tickets have been reduced to just £10 in all terraced areas and the South Stand, while seats in the Dribuild Stand and the J&G Group Stand can be snapped up for £15. Concessions (65+/U16s/students with a valid NUS card) can watch the match for just £1, or purchase a seat for only £5. We will also be running an Easter special offer for children for the match against York City on March 30th. The ‘Quid a Kid’ offer will return, with children paying just £1 entry to all areas of the ground apart from the two main stands. So with less than two months of the season left, why not come on down to the Memorial Stadium and back the boys! Both these offers are available in advance, or through the turnstiles on the day of the game. Seats will be sold on a first come, first served basis.
Rochdale have one of the worst away records at the moment but of course that could change! Still, I think we should win this one. I don't care whether it's comfortable or scrappy!
2-0 or 3-1 to the gas. clean sheet be great again. goal difference improving all the time. i say 2-0 final answer.... brunt and harrison with the goals. attendance thread i be made later to see if anyone interested.
im bringing my 2 nephews (young teens) only £12 for them, £1 each for the ticket and £5 each for meal deal. great price. im sure entertainment will be good so value for money cracking match thread indeed, seamge does a grand job.
For anyone who want to play the attendance game.... HERE YOU GO http://www.not606.com/showthread.php/201332-Attendance-prediction-game-vs-Rochdale
A look ahead at the game After their thrilling 2-0 win over promotion chasing Port Vale, Bristol Rovers entertain Rochdale in a clash that could see the home team rise into the top half of the table. Whereas Rovers have picked up 17 points from their last 10 games, Dale have picked up just 10. As Rovers were putting the Potteries team to the sword on Tuesday night, Keith Hill’s team were battling it out to earn a point from a 0-0 draw at York. The best chance of the game fell to George Donnelly but he could only fire straight at the Minstermen’s keeper Michael Ingham when clean through on goal. That result was the Lancashire team’s sixth without gaining maximum points and sees them sitting nine points above the relegation zone. Speaking after the game, the Dale Boss, Hill said, “We just didn't do enough. I thought the lads gave me every ounce of energy they had but they realise and they know how difficult it is to play the way I want to play the game. "We had the one stand-out chance of the game when George Donnelly went through. He finished two on Saturday and I was expecting him to finish but he didn't. "I'd take the clean sheet every day, it's another point and hopefully we can now build some momentum. The opposition showed good energy as they have a new manager, I thought both teams were good value for a point." Looking back at previous clashes between the teams it is remarkable that the games more often than not result in draws, with 14 of the 27 games played finishing level. In Bristol, Dale has proved to be a real bogey team for the Gas with Rovers recording just 2 wins from 13 games whereas the Lancashire team has 3 victories to its name. The last time the two teams met at the Mem was on 16 October 2010 when a League One game ended up with a 2-1 result in Rovers’ favour. A Jeff Hughes penalty on half time gave Rovers the lead. Chris Lines appeared to make the game safe on 82 minutes before Byron Anthony put one past his own keeper four minutes later to ensure a nervous finish. The very first game between the two teams took place on 27th September 1969 at Eastville. Both teams had got off to a bright start to the season and Rochdale were happy to play an expansive brand of attacking football to thrill the 8,653 crowd. Harold Jarman opened the scoring with a penalty after Robin Stubbs was brought down. Great work by Butler created a deserved equaliser for Dale and in the second half they took the lead with a headed goal. Stubbs brought the game back to parity with a weak shot past Harkin into the corner of the net. Bobby Jones put Rovers in front again as he took a high up field ball and struck it past an advancing Harkin. Dale stunned the Eastville faithful with a deserved last minute equaliser. So 3-3 for the first ever game between the clubs. The return game at Spotland proved to be a dull 0-0 result and this has been the pattern of games at Spotland, with few goals scored by either team. At Eastville the story was different, the following season saw another draw, this time 2-2, before Rovers scored their only home victory over the Lancashire team with a 5-2 win. Bruce Bannister, Kenny Stephens, Wayne Jones and Frankie Prince were all on target as Rovers entertained the Eastville crowd. In the 2002-03 season, goals from Paul Simpson and Clive Platt gave Dale a 2-1 victory in Bristol, whilst Lee McEvilly scored in the 1-1 draw at Spotland in March. The following season both games finished 0-0 although the game at Spotland in December ended in high drama, as late in the game Gary Jones blazed a controversially awarded penalty over the bar. Former Colchester player Ian Henderson made a goal scoring home debut for Dale on Saturday as they thrashed Wycombe 4-1 and after the game commented, “The manager spoke to us in the week saying that this game would kick-start our season and the result reinforced that. Hopefully we can continue winning games and build on the Wycombe result. “If we put a few wins together no one knows what could happen and we could emerge as a dark horse. It was an important win. I think people would be lying if they suggested they didn’t look at the table. It’s human nature to have a look at where you are and how you are doing.” Team news from Spotland is that former Manchester United mid-fielder Ritchie Jones will miss this weekend's match as he continues his recovery from an ankle injury. Keith Hill explained, “Ritchie turned his ankle before we played Wycombe and he has not recovered." Rovers will be looking to make it 4 wins from 4 home games this weekend. They have picked up 30 points from the 16 games under John Ward. Although Rovers are 12 points (and goal difference) below the Play-Off spots, 10th placed team Southend United are just 6 points above the Gas, a top 10 finish would not be an unreasonable target at this stage.
Bristol Rovers will check on the fitness of midfielders Ollie Norburn (ankle) and Joe Anyinsah (hamstring). Defender Mark McChrystal missed Tuesday's 2-0 win over Port Vale with an ankle injury but Rovers are hopeful he will be fit to feature.
WARD - WE EXPECT A TOUGH GAME John Ward knows that his team will have to be mentally prepared for a different test when Rochdale visit the Memorial Stadium tomorrow. The last three teams to come to the Mem have all been promotion chasing sides, which meant Rovers went into the game as underdogs. But tomorrow they face a team that many people will expect them to beat. John said: “We have got to be mentally correct for this game, nothing less than what we have been doing should be accepted tomorrow. “There are the same things at stake, there are three points if we can win, and we can move up the table. That is what we have got to try and do. “We will expect a good football match, but a tough one for us, and we want to make it a tough one for them too. “Keith Hill has been there before, and he fits there. He has a way that he likes to play, he likes to pass and play, and he has done very well there.” And as part of the preparation for the game, the players were given two days off after victory against Port Vale on Tuesday night. “They have worked exceptionally hard and I gave them a breather, but make no mistake the reason they are having a breather is to make sure they are ready to play on Saturday and give it their best shot. “I am not going soft on them, and they will find that out today when we start getting our preparation right. “We have still got games to play, a lot of things to fight for and a lot of good supporters to represent.” The manager will be without Oli Norburn, who picked up an ankle injury in that game, but he will be boosted by the return of Mark McChrystal. “Oli Norburn will not be right for tomorrow and at this stage we will be pushing it to have him ready for Bradford next week, so that is quite unpleasant. “We seem to be paying a price of a player a game at the moment, which is something that depletes the squad, but maybe at the same time it strengthens the resolve of the rest of the guys. “We had two young guys making early representations at first team level coming on as subs, so everyone who is available is pulling in the same direction. “Joe Anyinsah and Fabian Broghammer are slowly coming on but will not be ready for tomorrow. “Mark McChrystal should be available, we protected him this week with his ankle injury and he will train again today. “And obviously Clayton McDonald is available, we had a gentleman’s agreement with Port Vale that we wouldn’t use him on the night.” And looking back to Tuesday, the manager was pleased that his team’s two goals came from set pieces. He said: “It was a massive amount of hard work against a good team. “They took us a little bit by surprise the way they played, so we had to adjust to that, but the pleasing thing was that we got two goals of set plays. “In a tight game it can make such a difference if you can get your free kicks and corners right, and we finished off the goals and win the game by doing that. “It seems that the Memorial Stadium is becoming a bit of a fortress. Top teams have come here, and the mood has been good both on and off the pitch.”
Rochdale midfielder Ritchie Jones is definitely out after suffering an ankle injury in training. Keith Hill is also without striker Terry Gornell (groin) and long term absentee Reece Gray (broken leg).
VIEW FROM THE TRAINING GROUND Rochdale manager Keith Hill told BBC Radio Manchester: "I've committed until the end of the season and I'm happy to do that. "We don't want to be staring at the trap door of the Football League over the next nine games. "The last week was a very difficult week and I demanded, and got, rewards from the players."
should get 3 points from this game. if we do win, we should end up being closer to the play offs than relegation (points wise) as were currently 12 off from play offs and 11 off from relegation. also 3 points will put us over the 50 point barrier which should be enough for safety going by previous seasons final positions.
