Victory was message of team’s intent
ROCHDALE mens 2nds played host to Prescot 2nds on Saturday and for the third game running captain Karl Wynn had to shuffle his pack.
Rochdale started quickly and put Prescot under early pressure.
Pressing high up the field Rochdale were beginning to make chances and it wasn’t long before Graham Broadley opened the scoring with a great strike.
Lifted by this, Rochdale got the bit between their teeth and went on the attack with two goals for Bjorne Brauns in quick succession.
Despite being three goals down, Prescot did not give up and when Rochdale keeper Brian Robinson made a great save from a top D strike, the ball ended up at the feet of the Prescot striker who only had to push it over the line, for 3-1.
Just before the half time whistle, Rochdale regained a three-goal advantage when a cross from Brauns on the wide right came off the keeper and flew across the goal at chest height, where at the back post Luke Rosebury was waiting.
His shot resembled more of a mid-wicket strike for a six and if it wasn’t for the back of the net, that’s where it would have ended up and at half time it was 4-1.
The second half saw Prescot start quickly and this caught Rochdale off guard, with an early goal bringing them back in to the game at 4-2.
Rochdale settled though, and in what was a hot tempered second half with a player from each side receiving a green card, it was the home side who maintained the upper hand.
Further goals from Brauns and Broadley saw them both get hat-tricks on the day and Rochdale eventually ran away with a 7-2 victory.
Captain Karl Wynn: “It’s great to get another victory under our belt this season. With us changing division, everything is unknown.
“But now teams have seen us score 13 in the last two games and that will send a great message out. Graham Broadley was outstanding again, now scoring back to back hat-tricks, but I also have to mention Luke Rosebury. He ran all day in midfield, and allowed Imran Ansari to protect a slight injury and just control the play. Both Broadley and Rosebury deserve the Atticus Trophies Man of the Match award.”