Dale head into festive break in high spirits

passion and desire.

Strong passing and movement off the ball meant Bjorne Brauns managed to put the first goal away at the back post with Rochdale’s first attack.

As soon as Manchester had restarted Rochdale regained possession and as quickly as the first goal had gone in a second one was in the back of the net for Brauns.

This was quickly starting to look like a one-sided game with Rochdale heaping the pressure on the Manchester defence.

This relentless pressure paid dividends with two stunning strikes from James Shepherd, putting Rochdale 4-0 up.

The quick goals led to a lack of concentration from Rochdale and after trying to play the ball out from the back, it fell to Manchester’s centre-back who ran through the middle of the pitch without any pressure or a tackle and slipped a pass to the striker to put them on the score sheet at 4-1.

However, this lack of concentration and subsequent punishment spurred Rochdale back into action.

Managing to punish Manchester with two more goals before the end of the half earning Brauns a first half hat-trick and a goal for Andy Meanock. The half time break came and Rochdale went in to it 6-1 to the good.

Rochdale started the second half just like they had finished with high pressing and not allowing Manchester to venture much further than the halfway line.

It was on these counter-attacks that saw Luke Rosebury score his first for the game after hassling the Manchester player and winning the ball.

But this was nothing to compare with his second which followed quickly. After a great run down the right and strong cross from Shepherd, Rosebury met the ball first time from the top of the D, leaving the Manchester keeper with no chance.

Time and time again Rochdale overpowered the Manchester midfielders and were able to get back into their D, leading to Brauns scoring his fourth goal of the game.

Another offensive drive into the Manchester D, saw the ball fired at the keeper who managed to smuggle the ball away, but only for it to fall at the feet of Sam Wilkinson, one of Rochdale’s up-andcoming junior stars who now regularly hold a place down in the second team, to score his first goal for the team.

Rochdale managed to get past the opposition midfield with ease and when the ball fed to Dean Close put away a spectacular drag flick going over the keeper and into the top left corner of the net, everybody knew it had been a good day at the office.

Rochdale’s last goal came from Graham Broadley.

Captain Karl Wynn “Today’s result is a fantastic way to finish the first half of the season. We now go into the Christmas break on a high and looking forward to next year.

“Bjorne Brauns scored four today, he could have had more, but on several occasions laid the ball off for others to get on the score sheet.”