Rochdale managed to take all three points from the crucial game against Northamtpon Town with an impressive 1-0 performance. Full match report with player ratings is now online.

A magnificent return to winning ways saw Rochdale take a huge step towards the playoffs as they saw off Northampton Town 1-0 at Spotland.  The result leaves Dale just two points and three places outside the playoffs with a very tough next few games to come. 

Steve Parkin named the same squad that drew away at Bristol Rovers with Greg Heald, Daryl Burgess and Wayne Evans still out.  Matt Gilks was in net with Jamie Clarke, Alan Goodall, Tony Gallimore and Gareth Griffiths in defence.  Scott Warner, Gary Jones and Rickie Lambert were in midfield with Leo Bertos, Paul Tait and Grant Holt leading the line up front.  Danny Woodhall, Kevin Gibbins, Ernie Cooksey, Leighton McGivern and Marcus Richardson on the subs bench.

Rochdale started the game off very well and Paul Tait had a good early chance with just five minutes played but he shot wide after receiving the pass from Bertos after some good link up play.

Paul Tait went close again not long after that when Bertos fed in Holt with a wonderful pass that split the whole defence and Holt crossed for Tait who headed goalwards but Harper somehow managed to tip it onto the crossbar.

Northampton had created very little but they did have a chance through Martin Smith with around half an hour gone.  The former Huddersfield man picked the ball up on the turn and shot but his shot flew over the Sandy Lane roof!

With half time approaching, Bojic went close for the visitors but he saw his turn and shot sail wide of the post to the relief of the Dale supporters.

The first half whistle sounded and Dale were looking the better side and very capable of taking the points and it was very encouraging to see.  Northampton decided to change things at half time with Scott McGleish replacing Danny Crow in an attempt to bolster the attack.

The second half was even better from a Dale perspective and with about ten minutes of the second half gone, Rochdale were ahead.  Dale skipper Gary Jones was brought down on the edge of the box and Rickie Lambert and Leo Bertos stood over the ball.  Site editor (occasionally) Col came up with a belting call by saying "Leo's having this, it's too far out!"  Rickie Lambert stepped up and curled it beautifully into the top corner with a little help from the post to make it 1-0 Dale.  Can't really single out Col's call though because I'd predicted a 3-0 defeat before the game and even bet my Dad £1 we'd get beat!  Humble pie (low fat though, lol) was well and truly eaten!

That was the signal to defend and Ernie Cooksey was brought on for the goal scorer Rickie Lambert who went off to a tremendous applause and chants of "Rickie, Rickie Lambert!"  Surely we can come up with a better chant that that??

Rochdale had to stick at it and defend well as Northampton came at us and once again, Gareth Griffiths was fantastic in doing so and was well backed up by Tony Gallimore who had a very good game alongside him. 

It was all Northampton until about five minutes from the end when Rochdale created two great chances that fell to Paul Tait.  Now Paul Tait has received a huge amount of criticism in his short time here but tonight he was just plain unlucky.  Leo Bertos crossed to the back post from the right wing and Tait brought it down wonderfully on his chest and volleyed goalwards but his effort drifted past the far post.  You seem to get the impression he isn't going to score again and I was even more convinced shortly after that when he got his head on a cross from a corner and he did everything right, kept his header down and into the corner but it was hacked off the line by a Cobblers defender to keep the score 1-0 to Rochdale.

Dale managed to hold out from then on and take all three points to leaving within touching distance of the playoffs.  We have an extremely tough few games ahead of us and if we can come through that in a good position then I reckon I might put a few quid on us going up.  Dale now face Swansea away, Scunthorpe at home, Southend away and Wycombe at home in their next four games.  It makes for an exciting close to the season.

Player Ratings:

Matt Gilks 7 Dealt with what came his way well

Jamie Clarke 7 Got much better as the game went on

Alan Goodall 8 Excellent performance again from Gooders, got forward well and defended well

Tony Gallimore 7 Very good game for Galli, first half especially

GARETH GRIFFITHS 8 My M.O.M for the third game running and once again awesome

Scott Warner 7 Battled brilliantly again and his passing was good

Gary Jones 7 Much better from Jones, got forward and looked to create as well as get stuck in

Rickie Lambert 7 Great goal and proved that £25k or whatever we paid for him is an absolute bargain!!!

Leo Bertos 7 Very good game for Leo Bertos who was twice the player he was on Saturday

Paul Tait 7 To be fair, he played very well but he had no luck

Grant Holt 7 Worked very hard again and caused loads of problems

Subs:  

Ernie Cooksey 7 Not as attacking as you'd expect him to be but he was brought on to add more strength to the team and did it well

Photo: Action Images

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