White strike denies Dale at the Bescot
ROCHDALE fell to defeat on the road on Saturday, with a 1-0 loss away at Walsall.
Hayden White’s goal 10 minutes before half-time proved to be the difference between the two sides, in a game where chances for either team were at a premium.
Manager Jim Bentley made one change to the eleven that lined up against Tranmere Rovers midweek, as Devante Rodney came in for Abraham Odoh.
The Saddlers were the first to draw a save in a scrappy first half, but it was easy for Richard O’donnell who got down to comfortably hold Liam Bennett’s low effort.
They broke the deadlock in the 35th minute.
After O’donnell had initially kept out Danny Johnson’s acrobatic effort, a scramble in the box ensued and White smashed home from close range.
Before the half was out, Rodney sent Tyrese Sinclair in on goal, but Owen Evans raced off his line and got there before him.
And Liam Kelly saw his effort down and into the ground bounce up and into the hands of the ‘keeper.
Dale had more joy of getting into the box during the second half, but couldn’t really trouble Evans, and Walsall, too, didn’t give O’donnell much work to do.
Sinclair fizzed an effort over the bar, before Tom Knowles struck a powerful shot narrowly wide of the upright.
There was a superb touch from Ian Henderson to get to the byline and send the ball across the face of goal but there was no-one there to turn the dangerous ball home.
Dale kept the move alive and Rodney had a looping header held by Evans.
Jimmy Keohane then had a shot blocked, whilst Hutchinson, from 20-yards, saw his effort deflected past the post.
Soon after the hour, there was a brilliant block by Ethan Ebanks-landell to divert Knowles’ on-target effort away from goal.
A double substitution followed, with Toumani Diagouraga and Sinclair making way for Ethan Brierley and Odoh, respectfully.
Before the game was out, Rodney curled an effort wide of the far past and Ball, in stoppage time, saw his low powerful shot deflected wide.