Rochdale AFC

Ashley Eastham opened the scoring against his former club shortly before the interval, and Dale sealed the win in the second half. Joe Bunney netted four minutes after the re-start, before Nathaniel Mendez-Laing rounded off the scoring shortly before the hour mark. 

There was one change for Rochdale after last week’s win at Peterborough, with Callum Camps replacing Matthew Lund.

Clear cut opportunities were at a premium in the first half, but Dale played some fine football as Blackpool defended resolutely.
Rochdale had a penalty shout after some trickery in the box from Mendez-Laing, but the referee instead awarded a goal-kick.

Blackpool went close on the half hour mark after the energetic Mark Cullen linked up with strike partner Jacob Blyth. Blyth received the ball on the edge of the box and quickly fired a shot wide of the right post whilst under pressure from Ashley Eastham.

In the 38th minute the visitors had another chance, with a Jim McAlister corner from the left resulting in a weak headed effort by Brad Potts sailing over the crossbar.

Dale broke the deadlock on the stroke of half-time after a beautiful, curling set-piece from Donal McDermott was met with a glancing header inside the box from rising centre-back Eastham. 

There was another chance for Dale just a minute later as Jamie Allen had a shot blocked on the edge of the area. The referee blew seconds later as the home side went into the break leading 1-0.
HT: Rochdale 1-0 Blackpool
Rochdale emerged for the second half full of confidence and were dominant as they went on to net another two in the comfortable win.

Dale doubled their advantage four minutes into the second half courtesy of Joe Bunney. Eastham's initial effort from a McDermott corner was blocked on the line by Colin Doyle, but Bunney made no mistake as he smashed home on the re-bound.

Dale were in complete control during the second half and the Tangerines withered under the constant pressure from the home side. In the 59th minute Dale got a third. Some neat interplay between Mendez-Laing and McDermott on the edge of the box led to some free space for Mendez-Laing, who calmly slotted the ball past Doyle and into the net.

Keith Hill made three substitutions as the game entered its final stages - Bunney, Mendez-Laing and McDermott made way for Peter Vincenti, Grant Holt and Andy Cannon.

Holt came close to getting his name on the score-sheet, as he rattled a volley, which a took a deflection, narrowly wide. 

It finished Rochdale 3-0 Blackpool

Report by Danny Edwards