Saturday 17th February 2007- 3pm

 1

Rochdale

 2

1

 Kevin Pilkington

1

Matt Gilks

12

 Gary Silk

2

Simon Ramsden 90

4

 Mike Edwards

12

Alan Goodall

18

 Stephen Hunt 82

23

Rory McArdle

3

 Austin McCann

27

Rory Prendergast 64

2

 David Pipe

8

Gary Jones

6

 Matt Somner 56

5

John Doolan

27

 Jay Smith

6

Ben Muirhead

11

 Andy Parkinson 85

10

Adam Le Fondre

9

 Jason Lee

18

Nathan Stanton

10

Lawrie Dudfield 

17

Glenn Murray

Substitutes

 5

Alan White 56

 29

Lewis Edge 

 23

 Saul Deeney

 15

Joe Thompson 

 24

 Ian Ross

 19

 Lee Crooks

 20

 Junior Mendes 85

 16

 David Perkins 90

 8

 Daniel Martin 82

 11

 Adam Rundle 64

SCORERS

BOOKINGS

Stuart Ashworth at Meadow Lane

 Rochdale claimed their first ever win at Meadow Lane over Notts County in a tough physical encounter thanks to goals from Glenn Murray and debutant Ben Muirhead.

In truth it wasn't the best performance by Keith Hill's side but it was one that fully deserving of all three points especially after a totally one sided first half.

Dale dominated from the off though the home side did enjoy a couple of moments in the Rochdale box with ten minutes played.The first came after a Parkinson header was pushed away at full stretch by 'keeper Matt Gilks and it was that man Parkinson who created the second minutes later after a poor ball by Gary Jones was cut out.

The Notts County midfielder surged forward following the interception and found veteran striker Jason Lee on his left just inside the box.Lee managed to fire in a goal bound shot but Gilks managed to block the effort with his legs before Dale's Alan Goodall hacked the ball away to safety.

Dale on 12 minutes went closest yet to breaking the deadlock after Bradford loanee Ben Muirhead skipped down the flank before driving a low ball into the danger area.Man of the match Glenn Murray managed to divert the direction of the ball, but under severe pressure from Edwards, could only steer his shot wide of Pilkington's near post.

Murray created an opening all of his own on 23 minutes with a deft turn that left his marker wondering where the Dale striker had gone.The answer was Murray had jinked his way into the area but sadly chose the wrong option of shooting early rather than taking it on a bit more and the ball was cleared.

The visitors were in full control by this stage with 19-year-old Rory McArdle snuffing out the threat of Jason Lee with every long ball pumped forward to him.With County's game plan read and dealt with, Dale had freedom to exploit the wings and just before the half hour mark it looked as though Rochdale had done it to maximum effect.

Murray headed home from a Muirhead centre, but with the 389 travelling Dale fans celebrating the ball was grounded by Pilkington in readiness for a freekick after the linesman had signalled offside.

Not to be put off Murray, just a minute later, got the better of some poor defending by Edwards on the edge of his box and went through on goal with just Pilkington to beat.The Rochdale front man smashed a low shot that ricocheted through the legs of the County stopper but with the weight of the shot taken away, Edwards got back to somewhat atone for his error to clear the ball on the goal line.

The home side ended the half a little stronger but it ended with a late challenge by County striker Lawrie Dudfield on Ben Muirhead and with the County man already on a yellow card for an earlier altercation with Nathan Stanton he was lucky that referee Eddie Ilderton failed to spot it.

The second half started brighter for the home side who must have been on the end of some choice words from manager Steve Thompson during the break.It wasn't long before they took the lead after Dudfield won a freekick wide on the left wing.

Jay Smith arrowed a dangerous ball into the box and Jason Lee met it with a powerful header, giving Gilks no time to react.

Keith Hill's side looked rattled for a time and with the County backed by their supporters who found their voices for the first time in the afternoon.

However, Rochdale might have spent a little time on the back foot but they kept the efforts on Gilks' goal down to the minimum with just a well struck Parkinson shot the only chance of note the Dale 'keeper had to deal with.

Pilkington began to show some frailty with an hour played after a lofted Goodall freekick was spilled by the custodian.Adam Le Fondre was in snapping away at the loose ball but Pilkington fortunately found the ball within his reach and quickly smothered the ball before the on loan Stockport County striker could react.

The Magpie's 'keeper did a little better to make a save from Ben Muirhead on 78 minutes as Rochdale again began to gain the upper hand, but a minute later there was nothing he could do except pick the ball out of the back of the net after a Glenn Murray glanced home a corner from substitute Adam Rundle.

Dale fans celebrated and rightly so, if Dale had lost this one it would have been a travesty but the best was yet to come.Just three minutes later and still piling on the pressure, Dale took the lead thanks to a blunder by Pilkington.

A shot by Le Fonde spun viciously off defender Edwards and looped towards keeper Pilkington who failed to hold onto the ball.Ben Muirhead closed in from the right to pick up the loose ball and finished from close range, claiming all three points in the process.

Match Stats

ATTEMPTS

 9

ATTEMPTS

 12

ON TARGET

 4

ON TARGET

 9

FREEKICKS

 16

FREEKICKS

 16

CORNERS

 3

CORNERS

 8

OFFSIDE

 2

OFFSIDE

 7

YELLOW CARDS

 3

YELLOW CARDS

 1

RED CARDS

RED CARDS

POSSESSION

49%

POSSESSION

51%

Stats by PA

Star Player

Notts County

Rochdale

 Andy Parkinson

 Glenn Murray

Managers Comments in Brief

John Gannon (Assistant Manager)

Keith Hill

"The lads never gave up after going behind and I'm pleased we got the win."

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