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Rochdale 3 Grimsby 1

Richard Partington
5/ 4/2008

Rochdale strengthened their position among the play-off places with a 3-1 win over Grimsby.

Two goals from Rene Howe after the visitors had been reduced to 10 men paved the way to victory, though Andy Taylor’s late header made for an uncomfortable final few minutes until Howe completed his hat-trick.

Keith Hill made no changes to his starting XI for this clash, Lee Thorpe and Kallum Higginbotham continuing as the front pairing with Adam Le Fondre and Rene Howe on the bench.

Chris Dagnall was left out of the squad after suffering a virus this week.

In a scrappy start to the match, Martin Butler had a couple of efforts in the opening minutes, one a scissor kick comfortably saved by Tommy Lee and the other a low drive wide.

In the fourth minute a freekick on the right from Adam Rundle was floated into the centre where Thorpe climbed highest to glance a header against the outside of the post.

The atmosphere inside Spotland was understandably muted in comparison to the midweek game against Bradford, few Grimsby supporters making the journey for this game. As a result, the game struggled to get going.

Another freekick in the 19^th minute, from an identical position on the right, struck the woodwork when Rundle curled it towards the far post. His delivery beat everyone, including Phil Barnes in the Grimsby goal, only for the upright to save Grimsby.

That effort provided something of a kickstart for Dale, Gary Jones collecting a loose ball outside the area after Thorpe had challenged Barnes to a high cross. The skipper lofted goalward but had his shot headed off the line by Nick Fenton.

Thorpe was injured in the clash with Barnes and was replaced by Howe in the 30^th minute.

Rundle had a volley on the turn saved by Barnes while Nathan Jarman forced a save from Lee after a break forward in the 34^th minute.

Ciaran Toner hit the crossbar with a direct freekick from the left of the penalty area before a flashpoint in the 36^th minute when Jarman was sent off for a second bookable offence, a dangerous lunge at David Perkins.

Rochdale looked far more purposeful after the break and went ahead two minutes into the second half when Tom Kennedy fed Rundle on the left. The winger skipped inside the area before clipping a well-flighted cross towards Howe at the back post, the striker heading home from close range.

Howe doubled his tally in the 55^th minute.

A scuffed ball forward from Kennedy was superbly flicked into the path of Howe by Higginbotham, the striker accepting the defence-splitting pass and hammering a low drive past Barnes and in off the post.

Down to 10 men, Grimsby were penned inside their own half for long periods, Rochdale knocking the ball around with confidence since taking the lead.

Substitute Adam Le Fondre had a glorious chance to make it three in the 73^rd minute, accepting Perkin’s square ball across the face of goal but with just Barnes to beat from six yards he shot tamely into the goalkeeper’s arms.

Andy Taylor headed one back for Grimsby against the run of play in the 86^th minute, a goal conceded too easily for the manager’s liking.

That made for a nervy finish, until Howe fired a late third to wrap it up, his shot from the edge of the area somehow creeping in at Barnes’ near post.

Rochdale: Lee, Ramsden, McArdle, Stanton, Kennedy, Muirhead (Le Fondre 69), Perkins (Basham 83), Jones, Rundle, Thorpe (Howe 30), Higginbotham. Subs not used: Holness, Button

Grimsby: Barnes, Clarke (Jones 87), Newey, Hunt (Taylor), Bennett, Fenton, Toner, Bushell, Hegarty, Jarman, Butler. Subs not used: Montgomery, Bird, Atkinson

Referee: D McDermid

Att: 2,974