Early Dale goal sees off County side low on belief
Report from Mark Vickery
Venue: Rodney Parade
Newport County 0
Rochdale 1 (Ball 5)
Attendance: 3,824
Match Rating: **
Form:
Newport County WWWWLLLDWL
Rochdale LLDLDLLWWL
PRE-MATCH THOUGHTS
County need to put some pride back into their game after the lacklustre performance at Swindon and get on the front-foot early. Rochdale have improved under new manager Jim Bentley and will fight tooth and nail
CONDITIONS
Sunny quite warm and little wind. Pitch in excellent condition and quick on top.
SUMMING UP OUR PERFORMANCE IN ONE STATEMENT
Lacked quality, probed away after charitable early goal raising the bar for a time before fading.
TURNING POINT
Early Rochdale goal gave them exactly the platform they needed.
THE MATCH
County manager James Rowberry retained faith with the same side bar goalkeeper Nick Townsend who was not available and replaced by Joe Day with youth academy prospect Evan Ovendale on the bench. County started positively with some low moves worked into the corners and they had a good situation on 2 minutes when Adam Lewis delivered an early cross left side which dropped deep with Bogle and Evans well positioned but they couldn’t get a clean contact on the header. Rochdale settled into the game with Diagouraga initiating some moves from deep and they worked a couple of decent moves left side using Rodney as an outlet. On 5 minutes, Rochdale won a throw in left side of the area and County switched off allowing Kelly to cut back a cross to the penalty spot and Ball made the most of the freedom to place a header into the right corner with Day slow to react. County went straight on the offensive with some direct play using Bogle as an outlet. On 8 minutes, a direct ball by County was latched onto by Bogle who appeared to checked just inside the area but the referee waved play on. Despite his pass being intercepted, the ball ran loose right side of the area and Moriah-Welsh dragged his effort wide of the left post. County then had Clarke in the book for innocuous challenge on Quigley as they collided when Rochdale broke left side. Rochdale were decisive breaking and were close to a second goal on 12 minutes when Odoh unmarked drilled a decent shot inside the “d” which struck his own player Quigley and went wide of the goal. County continued to probe away with some low passing moves which offered promise but a lot of their play lacked a cutting edge and Rochdale were quicker snap up the bits and pieces through the middle of the pitch. County swung in some crosses from wide areas to test Rochdale which their centre backs mopped up well but the clearances were often untidy but County were slow to read. On 22 minutes, County had a glimmer of chance from a direct move when Evans caressed a decent header back into the path of Bogle but his on the turn from 16 yards went just wide of the left post. Rochdale continued to stifle and pick holes on the break well with Odoh busy right side carrying the ball forward with pace. On 35 minutes, Rochdale were close again when Odoh combined well with Ball right side who dragged his low shot just wide of the left post from the right corner of the area. Rochdale spurned a chance to go further ahead on 40 minutes when a corner left side flashed deep and Graham had the freedom of the park but his header was blocked by Demetriou inside in six yard box. County had a couple of decent chances in the lead up to half time winning a free kick right side well inside the Rochdale on 42 minutes. Lewis took the free kick pinpointing Bogle but he was unable to keep his header down under pressure from 10 yards. County had an even better chance on 44 minutes when Moriah-Welsh worked ball right side and Ebanks-Landell missed his clearance. Bogle ghosted in but could only direct a low timid effort which Rochdale keeper O’Donnell read easily. County forced some disjointed pressure into first half injury time but Rochdale kept them at arms-length. On 45+3 minutes, Rochdale missed another chance to kill the game when a County move broke down near the Rochdale penalty area. Odoh jinked forward with a strong run right side attacking the channel and his low cross just outside the box was met by Quigley at the back post but he shot into the side netting.
County made two changes at half time and some positional changes with Lewis replaced by Nevers and Collins for Moriah-Welsh. County adjusted to a 4–4–2 formation with Aaron Lewis going left back and Cameron Norman right back with Lewis Collins and Wil Evans on the flanks allowing Nevers to partner Bogle up top. County forced Rochdale deeper and Bogle had another opportunity on 48 minutes from just outside the box but his snapshot was deflected by Graham. County forced some moves left side with Nevers making some powerful runs which yielded some corners left side and Collins angling runs right side but Rochdale remained vigilant dealing with the crosses. On 53 minutes, County worked a decent move left side with Nevers threading a low pass inside for Evans. He had an opportunity to shoot but his effort lacked composure rising well over the bar. On 56 minutes, County won a corner right side which was only half cleared and Willmott whipped in a decent cross which Demetriou read well ghosting in at the front post but the header went into the side netting. Rochdale made a tactical change on 57 minutes with White coming on for Seriki. White went left back with Keohane switching to right back. Rochdale then had Ball in the book on 57 minutes for crudely fouling Lewis as he carried the ball forward left side from deep. County continued to probe away left side with Nevers offering plenty of verve and Keohane was booked on the hour for pulling him back. On 62 minutes, County won a throw in right side which Demetriou launched into the area and only half cleared but in the aerial challenge he was caught late by Quigley who was booked. County maintained their energy with some hopeful crosses which Rochdale remained superior on clearing their lines and some loose clearances were not capitalised on by County. On 65 minutes, Demetriou launched a long throw right side which was only half cleared to the edge of the area and Wildig struck a decent first time volley which was well blocked by Diagouraga. Rochdale road the storm and made another change on 70 minutes to pep up their approach with Kelly replaced by Sinclair. With County committed to push on, Rochdale had more space on the break and were close again on 75 minutes when White this time crept forward unopposed left side with a strong run finding Rodney and he cut back a decent for Quigley but he lost control as he was about to pull the trigger. County were restricted to efforts outside the box in the final 15 minutes with Wildig scooping well over from 20 yards after good work by Nevers on 82 minutes. County worked some better move right side late with Collins seeing plenty of the ball but offering little end product and Rochdale were quick to stifle the crosses. County introduced Zimba for Evans on 85 minutes and Rochdale responded with a defensive change to protect their lead with Odoh sacrificed for McNulty and veteran striker Henderson looking for his record goal replacing Quigley up front. County made a late change with Waite on for Wildig. County huffed and puffed in the final minutes but lacked quality and intensity to trouble the Rochdale rear-guard who finished on top. On 90+2 minutes, County typified their lack of conviction when they worked an overlap right side with Waite finding Norman but he turned down the opportunity to shoot when well placed and Rochdale were able to recover and stifle the move. Despite Rochdale incurring another two booking on 90+3 and 90+5 by Rodney and Henderson, the game fizzled out tamely with Rochdale closing the gap of on County at the bottom and a game in hand.
Day (6) — slow to react on the goal, kicked and distributed reasonably well. Despite not being overworked from open play had to stay of alert and come off his lines to clear several times,
Adam Lewis (6) — got into some decent positions first half and provided some decent crosses which deserved better. Put under pressure by Odoh and replaced at half time.
Aaron Lewis (6) — never really got into areas to threaten as wing back first half. Switched sides second half and played more reserved but defended well when he had to.
Clarke (6) — put under some pressure by Quigley but coped well after early booking and managed threat well clearing effectively. Went close on a couple of set pieces with bit and pieces.
Demetriou (7) — mopped up danger in behind and did his best to link and press up play. Provided usual quota of long throws, some decent crosses and leadership that the side lacked.
Norman (6) — put his head amongst it first half dealing with direct play well and pushed up more after going right back forcing some better moves right side but quality with final ball lacking
Moriah-Welsh (5) — drifted in and out of the game and lost too many of the 50–50s. when he got on the ball he passed well and linked some good moves final third.
Willmott (5) — reserved game, had little effect on the game getting brushed off the ball too easily. Delivered too many harmless out-swinging corners left side and struggling in deep role.
Wildig (6) — made several good supporting runs in and around the “d” but wasn’t pick out. Looked most likely to score and denied by a couple of important interventions edge of the area.
Evans (6) — contested well in the air and showed some understanding with Bogle but unable to get into positions to threaten or shoot. Drifted out of the game second half.
Bogle (5) — had similar chance to Swindon going low when it should have been lifted. Did his best to anchor moves but little impact second half and didn’t get across defender enough on crosses
SWOT ANALYSIS (Rochdale)
Strengths — worked hard off the ball and despite several booking had the resilience to stick in there. Odoh and Rodney offered an outlet to give them a breather which was key.
Weaknesses — defensive was anxious clearing and both centre backs weak and erratic with clearances more alert sides would punish. Struggled to put five passes together
Opportunities — after getting the gift goal, stuck rigidly to the gameplan, working hard off the ball and playing on the break. Switched full backs midway through second half to tame Nevers.
Threats — Quigley decent in the air, Odoh and Rodney offered pace and verve box to box. Ball opportunist shots in and around the area
OFFICIALS
D Rock (7) — may have given a penalty late on for challenge on Norman but got key decisions right and did his best to let an disjointed game flow.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Samuel Graham — Rochdale CB, dealt with all the crosses, dominated in the air and got across Bogle and Evans bravely to squash danger. Made some important blocks to avert danger.
IF YOU WERE JAMES ROWBERRY WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
Get some leadership on the pitch as they looked rudderless. This was a low quality game and a very poor advert for league two and the signs are that both these sides will be struggling to make an impact this season. County now have an atrocious home league record and an even more alarming fact is that one goal is now looking enough to beat them. The starting side again was difficult to fathom with Norman playing in central defence instead of wing back and only after this change was made at half time did County begin to ask any questions and penetrate higher up the pitch. Both Willmott and Moriah-Welsh looked disinterested and got bullied off the ball several times and it was enough for Rochdale to ramp up their efforts off the ball to deny County sustaining any momentum. Despite offering more fire in their bellies second half (for a spell), County were ultimately let down by quality and lack of composure with the crosses hopeful, often going straight to the keeper or County being second best in reading them looking on different wavelengths. County ended up being a side that lack belief and conviction to get back into the game and the concern is that a struggling side lacking confidence were able to protect their goalkeeper into makes just a couple of routine saves. Next up is Crawley Town away who have displaced Rochdale at the bottom of the league after losing 5 consecutive games. Crawley have struggled for form and despite having a decent squad are clearly underperforming so County can’t afford to underestimate them.
