Rodney’s header puts Magpies back on the brink
Rochdale 1, Maidenhead United 0 Maidenhead United suffered a third away defeat on the spin as they slipped to 1-0 loss at Rochdale on Saturday. Devantae Rodney nodded home the only goal of the game at Spotland, after Craig Ross had parried a strike from Kairo Mitchell, and the hosts held on for the points in a game of few clear-cut chances.
Will de Havilland ended up having Maidenhead’s best chances on the day, heading narrowly wide of the post at the end of the first half before seeing a well-struck volley well-saved by Chapman in the second half.
However, despite largely matching their hosts for work-rate and chances, United went down to defeat once again and the loss leaves them just a point and a place above the National League relegation zone.
Alan Devonshire’s side have six games left to secure the points needed for survival, however, four of those matches are against teams currently in the top six. They’ll hope for some home comforts when they get back to York Road to play Aldershot Town on Good Friday (March 29).
This performance at Spotland wasn’t as bad as their 4-1 defeats at AFC Fylde and Dagenham & Redbridge in their past two away trips, but their inability to take the chances which fell their way remains a concern.
They looked promising in attack in the opening stages, flashing a dangerous ball across the Dale penalty area in the third minute before Casey Pettit lashed another effort narrowly wide in the 22nd minute. Craig Ross was treated for an injury mid-way through the half but was okay to continue and went on to make several decent saves to keep the score down.
He was beaten just once, in the 38th minute, when Ebanks-Landell threaded a ball through for Mitchell who managed to roll Kevin Lokko and get a strike off at goal. Ross parried the ball high into the air and Rodney wanted it more than the Magpies’ defenders, leaping highest to nod the ball down and into the bottom corner.
United could have levelled within minutes when De Havilland’s header went a whisker wide of the left-hand post.
Ross produced a firm hand to keep out Keohane’s goal bound effort in the 66th minute before De Havilland tested Chapman once again with a stinging volley from distance, however, the Dale keeper was up to the challenge, throwing himself through the air to catch the defender’s effort. United pressed forward with increasing desperation in the closing stages and might have been caught on the break when Gordon saw his late shot deflected wide. Fortunately, many of Maidenhead's relegation rivals also dropped points leaving them outside of the bottom four heading into the Easter weekend.