Dale slipped a little further away from the playoffs as a poor performance resulted in a defeat away at struggling Notts County.  A seemingly rare Chaff match report online now.

It’s probably a good thing I didn’t write this last night really because I was very frustrated when I got home but having left it until now to write, I’ve calmed down a bit and taken the time to reflect on yesterdays game. 

Those that follow Dale away from home have been completely spoilt really this season.  Our away form has been magnificent to the point where we’re not used to losing and it becomes very frustrating and people over-react.   

Truth is, yesterday we were poor.  We didn’t deserve to win and we got what we deserved.  Too many players didn’t perform and we’ve ended up losing ground on our nearest rivals Chesterfield.  Notts County were very poor as well.  They defended well but had nothing else whatsoever and it’s losing to poor teams like that when you’re expecting nothing else than a victory that raises frustration as well. 

That said, weather permitting of course, we have a golden opportunity to get that defeat out of our minds and concentrate on our playoff push as administration experts Rotherham come to Spotland tomorrow where a win will do a lot to put aside the annoyance of yesterday.   

Yesterday started off well enough, we got to Nottingham in good time and had a couple of beers and a perv in Hooters before heading over the road to Meadow Lane. 

As we got there, we heard the teams being read out with Dale lining up with new emergency loan signing Tommy Lee in net having signed from Macclesfield yesterday morning, a back four of Ramsden, Kennedy, McArdle and Stanton, a midfield four of Basham, Rundle, Perkins and Jones with Le Fondre and Howe up front. 

The first half was a case of us trying to create something, failing and Notts County defending well for the vast majority of it but with the aid of a poor Dale rearguard, the home side did get brief spell where they created chances and looked better than us.  Danny Crow was guilty of missing a good chance when he blazed one over the bar and the Crow also went close with a lobbed effort that went just over the bar. 

It was clear that Dale weren’t at the races and Notts capitalized with nearly half an hour gone.  Wayne Cordon took the piss out of our defence who never looked like getting the ball off him as he danced around them before setting up Jarvis who scuffed his shot straight to Michael Johnson who showed him how it’s done by blasting the ball past Tommy Lee. 

Dale finished the half doing what they’d done for most of the rest of the half in passing the ball around and not creating anything.  We just seemed to lack anything that resembled a final ball and Notts seemed to be first to everything which was disappointing. 

The second half was more of the same really but we actually managed a few half chances before our one main chance of the match.  Basham blasted a shot wide, Alfie had a weak header that went straight at the keeper and Jonah blasted one wide.  I sensed it wasn’t going to be our day.  In fact, the only good thing to come out of the day was the new Nathan Stanton chant which goes to the tune of Andy Williams’ “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” and goes “Oh Nathan Stanton, you are the love of my life! Oh Nathan Stanton, I’ll let you s**g my wife! Oh Nathan Stanton, trust in me when I say…”  Genius! 

Rene Howe then confirmed it wasn’t going to be our day when his volley was cleared off the line just before Alfie had a goal disallowed for offside. 

The changes came far too late as Muirhead and Thompson came on for Basham and Rundle which is the change I’d have made, only twenty minutes earlier. 

The game then just petered out really and Dale left with nil points which was made worse by the fact that Chesterfield had come from behind to beat Accrington. 

Ah well, even we can’t win every game away from home and now we lie four points off the playoffs with three games in hand, one of which gives us the opportunity to take revenge on Notts County. 

Chaff’s Player Ratings: 

Tommy Lee – 6

Simon Ramsden – 6

Tom Kennedy – 5

Rory McArdle – 6

Nathan Stanton – 6

Chris Basham – 6

Adam Rundle – 5

Gary Jones – 6

David Perkins – 6

Rene Howe – 5

Adam Le Fondre – 7 

Ben Muirhead – 6

Joe Thompson – 6

Photo: Action Images

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