Preview | Sunderland (H)

20 August 2019

Rochdale v Sunderland | Crown Oil Arena, Sky Bet League One, Tuesday 20th August 2019, 7.45pm Kick-Off

Dale return to the Crown Oil Arena on Tuesday night for the first of three consecutive home matches.

Sunderland are the visitors, who come into the game off the back of a 2-1 win over Portsmouth at the weekend.

Like Dale, they are unbeaten, with a win and two draws from their opening three league games.

PRE-MATCH INTERVIEW

Brian Barry-Murphy says his side are confident and are in good form heading into tonight's game.

Click HERE to read what he had to say.

OPPOSITION VIEW

Click HERE to read what Sunderland boss Jack Ross had to say ahead of tonight’s game.

ADMISSION DETAILS

Supporters have until 2pm on matchday to purchase a ticket in advance. Click HERE to purchase yours online now.

Fans can also pay on the night. As it is a Category B game, prices will not rise on matchday.

Supporters can pay cash through the turnstiles in the Smith Metals Family Stand and Sandy Lane Stand. Fans wishing to sit in the Main Stand must purchase a ticket before heading to the turnstiles.

Click HERE to read our admission details for the 2019/20 season in full.

FIRST TIME VISITOR GUIDE

Are you a first-time visitor to the Crown Oil Arena? Click HERE for all of the information you may need in order to plan your visit and make the most of the matchday experience at Rochdale Football Club!

AWAY SUPPORTERS’ GUIDE

If you are a Sunderland fan making your way to the Crown Oil Arena for Tuesday’s game, click HERE and have a read of our Visiting Supporters’ Guide which is packed full of useful information!

PRE-MATCH

Junior Dale fans, join us in Desmond’s Den this Tuesday! Youngsters can make their own foam planes at our junior event, plenty of fun games, and PlayStation 4s with the latest FIFA on them! Click HERE for full details on how to access.

The Ratcliffe Bars, situated on the Club's car park, open at 4.30pm. Away fans are welcome.

POST-MATCH

Please remember that the Crown Oil Arena car park will be a NO MOVE ZONE for vehicles for ten minutes following the full-time whistle.

This is improve pedestrian safety.

GRAB A GRAND

For just £1, you can be in with a chance of winning £1,000 at Tuesday's game!

There will be one guaranteed winner of £100, and the chance to win the Man of the Match's shirt.

Get your ticket from one of sellers around the ground or from the Club Shop.

Click HERE for full details.

REF WATCH

Referee | John Busby

Assistant Referees | Ian Dudley & Natalie Aspinall

Fourth Official | Joe Hull

MATCH ODDS

Sky Bet are offering odds of 29/10 for a Dale win on Tuesday.

Don’t forget that Sky Bet customers who select Rochdale as their favourite team on their Sky Bet profile, for every losing bet made, 50% of the stake will be passed on to the Club!

So, if you are having a flutter ahead of the match, make sure you do it via Sky Bet and select Rochdale as your favourite team!

Click HERE for the full betting preview.

MATCHDAY PROGRAMME

Rochdale AFC’s matchday programme – The Voice of Spotland – returns for Tuesday night’s game!

Purchase from the Club Shop and around the ground on matchday for just £3. Click HERE to read the full preview.

WE’VE GOT IT COVERED

Fans in the UK, along with overseas fans, can watch the match live on iFollow! If you can't make it to the game, get yourself a match pass for just £10 to view.

Click HERE to subscribe to iFollow.

To access commentary/watch live via your desktop, click on the 'iFollow' tab on our navigation bar. Hover over the 'More' tab and more selections will appear, which is where the 'iFollow' tab is located. Once you’ve clicked through, a link will appear on the left-hand side of the page for you to access the commentary. This will appear on the site around half an hour before kick-off.

We will be tweeting live updates from the match and will go behind-the-scenes with our Instagram Story feature. Follow @officiallydale (Twitter and Instagram).

Match Previews

Match Reports

Report | Dale 1-2 Sunderland

20 August 2019

Dale suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat at home to Sunderland, despite a superb performance from Brian Barry-Murphy’s side which deserved more.

The visitors took the lead, against the run of play, through Republic Of Ireland international Aiden McGeady, but Callum Camps equalised just five minutes later.

Charlie Wyke scored what proved to be the winner 11 minutes after the break, but Dale threw everything at their opponents late on, dominating the closing stages, but just couldn’t find a route to goal.

Brian Barry-Murphy made two changes to his starting line-up, with Aaron Morley and 16-year old Luke Matheson, making his first EFL start, replacing Matty Done and Jimmy Keohane.

After an even opening five minutes and an effort well over from Sunderland’s Chris Maguire, Dale had the better of the first half an hour playing some fine football in the process.

Camps had Dale’s best effort in the 21^st minute, collecting MJ Williams’ pass on the halfway line and turning, before driving into the Sunderland area and firing an effort into the side netting at the near post.

However, against the run of play, the visitors took the lead. They worked the ball into the right side of the area, before squaring for McGeady at the back-post, who slotted home calmly.

Dale weren’t behind for long though, responding superbly to equalise just five minutes later.

Rhys Norrington-Davies flicked on a diagonal ball into the path of Ollie Rathbone, who found Stephen Dooley inside the area. He pulled it back for Camps on the edge of the area, who slotted a cushioned first-time effort into the bottom corner.

There were huge shouts for a Dale penalty two minutes after the equaliser, when Jordan Willis looked to have controlled Norrington-Davies cross with his arm. However, referee John Busby waved away the protests.

Dale had the first effort of the second-half, when Rathbone’s run down the left saw him brek into the area and fire an effort to the near post, which needed to be turned wide for a corner by John McLaughlin.

Camps then saw a dipping shot from 25-yards saved low by the Sunderland stopper, with Henderson flagged offside as he picked up on the loose ball.

The visitors retook the lead 11 minutes after the interval, when Luke O’Nien’s cross was headed down by McGeady at the back-post, hitting Wyke and falling for him, before he turned and stroked home from close range.

Dale goalkeeper Robert Sánchez denied substitute Will Grigg with a one-handed save from a tight angle, before Jim McNulty blocked Wyke’s follow up.

Rathbone fired wide of the near post after cutting inside, before Dale substitute Calvin Andrew had an effort blocked wide.

Brian Barry-Murphy’s side were dominant in the closing stages as they searched for a deserved equaliser, with Dooley having a low effort turned round the post with a fingertip save.

McLaughlin then denied Henderson, who picked up on Matheson’s header back across goal and shot high, with the Sunderland stopper holding on to the effort.

He then denied Andrew, who was picked out superbly by Matheson’s cross, heading on target with McLaughlin saving well.

The final chance fell to Henderson, who met substitute Matty Done’s cross from the left, heading over from a central position.

Despite the narrow defeat, the players left the pitch to a standing ovation from the Dale fans, after a fine display.

Standings