Leaders given real test by second XI
ROCHDALE men’s second XI travelled to Bowdon in Cheshire to take on their men’s fifth team.
Rochdale managed to take one substitute, but were a bit light on numbers against the top of the league side.
The weather was a fairly warm for the time of the year and the rain held off until after the match.
The game started surprisingly slowly, with Bowdon playing backwards, to apply a more patient build up.
Rochdale largely held firm, proving quite difficult to break down and putting some strong challenges in early doors. The home side gradually began to have the better of the opening exchanges, but Rochdale did manage to pose some threats on the counter, as well as stringing some good moves together from their own 16s.
A mistake from Rochdale when playing out from the back gifted Bowdon their first real opportunity as a forward pounced on a stray pass, drove into the circle and flicked it towards the corner of the goal. It was bravely blocked on the line by Mike Bohanna with his body and a penalty flick was awarded.
The set-piece was well saved by in-form goalkeeper Dean Close, who made himself big, guessed right and got a hand to it.
The first half wore on and Rochdale were holding out well, but were conceding penalty corners.
Eventually, Bowdon would get the opening goal from one of these, by forcing a second penalty flick for a foot on the line. This time they made no mistake and converted it for a one-goal lead.
It was far from over though and the game could have still gone either way.
Rochdale managed to break through Bowdon’s press on several occasions, winning a few penalty corners, but unable to get a goal back.
Rochdale had put in a good first half performance and could well have been level on another day.
They were still in the game at the halfway stage against the top of the league side.
The half time team talk was about the visiting side needing to switch the play more and keep making the interceptions.
Rochdale started brightly in the second half, taking the game to Bowdon and playing mostly in the opposition half.
They created chances and forced a few more penalty corners, but were unable to convert.
Bowdon managed to get some counter attacks going and forced some penalty corners, as well as some good saves from Close.
The home side added another goal from a penalty corner.
Switching the ball to the right of the circle, a looping push went over the keeper and past the post man’s weak side, into the bottom corner.
Bowdon would add a third from another penalty flick, after the keeper was judged to have fouled a forward with possession of the ball in the circle.
Rochdale mixed it up for the last ten minutes, bringing Niall Baker out of midfield and into his usual place at right back.
Liam Haywood had done an excellent job there, but the away team needed to try something else to try and get a goal back. There were some good attacks down both wings and Rochdale played well, but it was to no avail. Final score Bowdon 3 Rochdale 0.
A spokesman said: “Today was always going to be a tough game, playing Bowdon at their place with them top of league.
“The lads put in a good performance though.
“It was a competitive match and we may have got something today, if we had more substitutes.”
Under 17 man of the match went to Liam Haywood (he almost got full man of the match) and man of the match went to Dave Marlow, for some excellent tackling, interceptions and distribution.
Rochdale’s 2nds are at home to Didsbury 4s today, any support welcome.