Preview | Southend United (H)

29 September 2023

Rochdale AFC vs Southend United | Vanarama National League, Saturday 30th September, Crown Oil Arena, 3pm Kick-Off

Dale welcome Southend United to the Crown Oil Arena on Saturday, for the second of back-to-back home games.

Get ready for the game by reading all of the pre-match build-up below.

MATCHDAY GUIDE

Coming to Saturday’s game? Check out all of the information you need to make the most of your visit HERE.

INTERVIEWS

Adam Clayton spoke to the Club's website ahead of the fixture, discussing Dale's start to the season as well as looking ahead to the visit of Southend.

Click HERE to watch his interview in full, or HERE to read what he had to say.

THE OPPOSITION

Southend have been through well-publicised issues off the pitch recently, which resulted in a ten point deduction in August.

That dropped them to the foot of the National League table, although Tuesday's 1-1 draw at Aldershot Town saw them move up to 23rd.

Without that deduction, the Shrimpers would be just one point and one place behind Dale, having won five and drawn two of their opening 12 games.

Former Reading youngster Harry Cardwell is their top scorer this season, on seven goals for the campaign so far.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

This will be the first meeting between the sides since August 2019.

There have been 55 matches, with 17 wins for Dale, 24 for Southend, and 14 draws.

FLASHBACK

Ian Henderson's 110th Dale goal earned us a 1-0 win over Southend United back in April 2019 ⚡️🔙#RAFC pic.twitter.com/0XbZojKr5m
— Rochdale AFC (@officiallydale) September 29, 2023

MAN IN THE MIDDLE

Greg Rollason will be the referee for Saturday’s game. It is his second full season at National League level.

Adam Burgess and Jamie Waters are the assistant referees, with Taylor Metcalf as the fourth official.

FOLLOW THE ACTION

Those fans based in the UK & Ireland can listen to live match commentary, whilst overseas supporters can watch live via the National League TV platform. Click HERE for full details.

There will also be live updates via the club’s official twitter account.

Match Previews

Match Reports

Report | Dale 2-2 Southend United

30 September 2023

Dale were held to a 2-2 draw at home to Southend United on Saturday, despite taking a two goal lead.

Jimmy Keohane and Kairo Mitchell had Dale two in front in the opening 25 minutes, but a brace from Harry Cardwell, one either side of the break, saw the spoils shared.

Jimmy McNulty made one change to his starting line-up from Tuesday’s game, with Jimmy Keohane replacing Cameron John, who picked up an injury in the match against Chesterfield.

It took less than ten minutes for Dale to open the scoring, as Keohane grabbed his first of the season.

Kwaku Oduroh beat his man on the right and pulled it back to Jesurun Uchegbulam, whose shot was blocked into path of the Irishman. From on the floor, he slammed the ball home with his left foot.

Dale were well on top in the first quarter of the game, with Ryan East seeing a well struck volley blocked and Tyrese Sinclair almost getting on the end of a ball into the area.

The lead was doubled in the 25^th minute when Mitchell grabbed his second in as many games.

Uchegbulam did well to hold on to the ball in the area before digging out a cross to the back post, where Mitchell rose highest to head home.

The two-goal cushion only lasted a minute though, as Cardwell nodded home a left-wing cross to bring the visitors within one.

Uchegbulam almost restored the two-goal lead in the 32^nd minute after being picked out by Adam Clayton, but he sent an effort inches wide of the far post from a tight angle.

Jack Wood had a shot from distance parried wide by Louie Moulden, before Sinclair and Noor Husin exchanged shots from 20-yards wide of the target.

After the break, Cardwell and Ethan Ebanks-Landell both had efforts held by the respective goalkeepers, before the visitors equalised in the 64^th minute through another Cardwell header, taking his tally to nine for the season.

Dale continued to dominate possession despite being pegged back, with Uchegbulam, voted as Man of the Match, firing an effort wide and having one saved by goalkeeper David Martin.

He then headed a corner wide in added time, before Mitchell also saw a header deflected off target with the last action of the game.

Dale XI | Moulden, Oduroh, Ebanks-Landell, Nevett, Keohane, Clayton, East, Gilmour, Uchegbulam, Sinclair (61’ Henderson), Mitchell.

Unused subs | Taylor, Afuye, Conway, Ferguson.

Standings