Match Report - Rochdale 2 Bradford 1
Wednesday, 2nd Apr 2008 10:45

Rochdale moved into the playoffs with a fabulous home victory over Bradford City with Perkins and Le Fondre scoring in a 2-1 victory. Another Chaff report online for your reading pleasure!

As I said on Saturday, it's becoming increasingly
difficult not to believe that this could be our year. After last night's
late win over Bradford City, I challenge any Dale supporter to honestly say
they're not optimistic about Dale at this moment in time. To put it
another way, I'll bet a lot of Dale fans look at the calendar today to see if
they're free on May 26th!

Like on Saturday, I went into the game thinking I wouldn't
be disappointed with a point but upon hearing their team news, I thought we'd
pick up all three points and I'm extremely glad we did because I was getting a
bit naffed off seeing the league table with us just outside the playoffs.
Now we've got ourselves in there and we have to stay there.

I even got the biggest urge in the world to start singing
one of them 'P' word songs but the cynical and superstitious side of me came
racing to the surface to slap me and say "get a grip of yourself man, don't even
bother tweaking!"

I was looking for one change to be made to the lineup,
that of Muirhead for Basham but we saw that plus two other changes. Our
went Rene Howe who was injured and Adam Le Fondre to be replaced by Brentford
reject Lee Thorpe and the returning Kallum Higginbotham. The rest of the
team stayed the same so we lined up with Lee, Ramsden, Kennedy, McArdle,
Stanton, Muirhead, Rundle, Perkins, Jones, Higginbotham and Thorpe. On the
be bench were Button, Holness, Basham, Dagnall and Le Fondre.

Dale started the game off in the best possible way and
before many had settled with their coffee and bovril (do people still drink
that?!) as David Perkins bombed through the middle of the park and smashed a low
effort into the bottom corner. In fact, just 27 seconds of the game had
been played. Perkins came here with a reputation of being a grafting
midfielder who would score less goals than the keeper for us but he's bagged 5
this season so far and is proving to be more than capable of chipping in with a
few goals to add to his fantastic performances.

Could be continue the game at that sort of pace with that
sort of quality? Well, yes is the simple answer because we completely
bossed the majority of the first half it has to be said with slick, pacey and
attacking football which was better than anything we've seen at home this season
without a doubt for me.

That said, there was one worrying moment where we thought
Bradford had scored when a quite wonderfully crafted training ground freekick
ended with Johnson smashing the ball against the post.

It was a great game of football right from the off really
with lots of chances being created.

Lee Thorpe headed just wide from a Ramsden cross while Tom
Kennedy hit a freekick straight at the keeper just after that. Perkins was
completely running the show and he bombed through from midfield at will and shot
goalwards a few times but failed to hit the target.

Adam Rundle had Dale's next best chance when Higgy did
quite magnificently down the right, beat one defender before cutting back and
volleying a cross over toward the back post for Adam Rundle who somehow blazed
over the Sandy Lane. A very good opportunity that should have been taken
really.

Even Muirhead got in on the action as he blasted a low
shot wide of the far post.

The first half ended with a fantastic cheer from the much
louder than normal Dale support.

The second half though didn't start off all that well for
the Dale.

Both sides still huffed and puffed but Bradford were
getting more into the game and I couldn't help wondering whether our lack of
converting chances into goals was going to cost us.

Chris Dagnall came on to another fabulous reception from
the Dale crowd and he replaced Ben Muirhead while Adam Le Fondre replaced a very
impressive Kallum Higginbotham.

Just a couple of minutes later though and Bradford were
level. Colbeck went down under Kennedy's challenge in the box and the
referee pointed to the spot. I've not had the advantage of seeing a replay
but for me, there was absolutely no contact and it was a dive BUT, I was very
disappointed that TK had dived in when he was seemingly leading the winger
further wide. Peter Thorne stepped up and coolly slotted the ball home
with an almost Berbatov-like arrogance.

That sent the very impressive Bradford following into
raptures and they were also guilty of the most unbelievable disillusion as they
then started singing, without irony I hasten to add, "Wemberleee, Wemberleee,
we're the famous Bradford City and we're going to Wembeleee" followed by "We are
going up, say we are going up!". The mind boggles! And obviously the
football gods took note!

Daggers nearly put Dale ahead again when he was put in by
Adam Rundle but his effort flew over the bar just before Thorpedo hit an effort
just wide.

Just as frustration was starting to set in at the fact
that we weren't winning with three minutes of time left, Dale went and bagged a
second. Thorpe flicked the ball on into Le Fondre's path and he finished
superbly into the far corner via the post to claim his 14th goal of the season.
Magnificent celebrations followed as the away end emptied.

It wasn't over just yet though as in stoppage time Conlon
hit the bar with a wonderful header and the ball was cleared. From the
corner, Rhodes got up to head against the crossbar this time and the ball looked
for all the world like it was well over the line but the linesman didn't flinch
and the goal wasn't given. Thankfully, the referee ended the game after
that and Dale emerged victorious and playoff bound.

How many of you weren't going to Dagenham but are now
considering it?! Bet there's a few! Roll on Saturday and Tuesday!

Chaff's Player Ratings:

Tommy Lee - 7

Simon Ramsden - 7

Tom Kennedy - 7

Rory McArdle - 7

Nathan Stanton - 7

Ben Muirhead - 7

Adam Rundle - 8

David Perkins - 9

Gary Jones - 7

Lee Thorpe - 8