Stats Magic: Rochdale v Ipswich Town
Sunday, 4th Apr 2021 16:00 by TVOS

Dale's Easter fixtures continue with a home match against Ipswich Town. TVOS brings us all the stats we never knew we needed.

* Monday will be the third meeting between Dale and Ipswich Town and the second at Spotland

* The Tractor Boys won on their only previous visit to Dale’s home, as described at the end of this article

* Dale were also beaten on their maiden visit to Portman Road in September, with Ipswich scoring twice in the second half in their 2-0 success

* Our meeting last season made The Tractor Boys the 105th different side Dale had faced in league action, counting reformed outfits like Accrington, Aldershot, Newport and AFC Wimbledon as one club.

* It also means that of the current 91 EFL and Premier League clubs, Dale are still to meet Arsenal, Birmingham, Chelsea, Everton, Forest Green, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Middlesbrough, Newcastle, Nottingham Forest, Salford, Tottenham, WBA and West Ham in league action.

* If we include cup ties, that list is reduced to Everton, WBA and West Ham.

* The last ten clubs Dale have met in league football for the first time are: Ipswich Town (2019/20), Sunderland (2018/19), Crawley Town (2014/15), Fleetwood Town (2012/13), Stevenage (2011/12), Sheffield Wednesday (2010/11), Burton Albion (2009/10), Morecambe (2007/08), Dagenham & Redbridge (2007/08) & MK Dons (2006/07)

* On Monday, Ipswich will join Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, Derby, Sheffield Wednesday, Southampton and Stalybridge Celtic in having played exactly twice at Spotland in league football.

* Players to have represented both Dale and Ipswich are Pim Balkestein, Stephen Bywater, Jack Connor, Lee Hodges, Jordan Rhodes and Mark Stuart

* Matt Done, Jimmy Keohane, Paul McShane, Aaron Morley, Eoghan O’Connell, Jimmy Ryan and Fabio Tavares are the only Dale players to have appeared in both of our league games versus The Tractor Boys

LAST VISIT

Ipswich were 1-0 winners when they last visited Spotland in November 2019.

Danny Rowe headed the only goal of the game eight minutes into the second half as Dale slumped to a third consecutive league defeat.

See the action here: