Huddersfield Town were the visitors to the Crown Oil Arena on Wednesday night for Rochdale’s first pre-season friendly of the summer on UK soil.
Ian Henderson opened the scoring, before Elias Kachunga equalised. Second half goals from the Terriers’ Jonathan Hogg and Josh Koroma secured a 3-1 victory for the visitors.
The sides went in level at the break, after a Kachunga goal on the stroke of half-time cancelled out Henderson’s ninth minute header.
Rhys Norrington-Davies’ inch-perfect cross from the left was met by Henderson, who headed beyond Ryan Schofield in the Huddersfield Town net to give Dale an early lead.
Rochdale were well-organised and resolute, and in the 14th minute, Jimmy McNulty put in a great block to deflect behind a dangerous Reece Brown effort. It was his third important block of the game so far.
Dominant Dale had the better of the chances as the half progressed and after winning the ball back high up the pitch, Stephen Dooley drove forward and saw his strike from just outside the area flash narrowly past the upright.
Soon after, Aaron Morley worked hard to free himself from his marker and curled an effort inches wide of the post.
But as the game approached the interval, the visitors levelled the scoring, when Kachunga powered a bullet header home from a ball in from the left.
HT | ROCHDALE 1-1 HUDDERSFIELD TOWN
There was one change for the start of the second half, with Matty Done replacing Dooley.
The Terriers were much improved after the break and Brad Wade pulled off a string of excellent saves, before the visitors went ahead and doubled their advantage.
In the 54th minute, a powerful Jonathan Hogg effort was beaten away by the young goalkeeper, and he got down to the Mooy to smother the attempted follow up.
Josh Koroma fired wide of the near post for the visitors after latching on to a fine pass from Kachung soon after, before Wade pulled off another fine save to deny Hogg again, this time sticking out a leg to keep the him out at the near post.
Huddersfield had been threatening and they went in front on the hour mark. Hogg stole the ball high up the pitch and went through one-on-one with Wade before coolly finishing beyond him.
A few minutes later, they went 3-1 up. Koroma received the ball just inside the area and took a touch before slotting into bottom corner.
Four substitutions followed. Wade, McNulty, MJ Williams and Rekeil Pyke made way for Josh Lillis, Calvin Andrew, Lewis Bradley and A Trialist.
Camps saw a curling effort from 25-yards well held before Manager Brian Barry-Murphy made four further changes.
Matty Gillam, Luke Matheson, Fabio Tavares and Louie Clarkson replaced Camps, Norrington-Davies, Henderson and Jimmy Keohane.
Substitute Lillis held onto a quick snap-shot from Reece Brown before the game was out, while Tavares shows a great first touch before feeding in Gillam, who saw an effort well saved by the Huddersfield stopper.
FT | Rochdale 1-3 Huddersfield Town
TEAM | Wade, Norrington-Davies, McNulty, Delaney, Dooley, Williams, Camps, Pyke, Keohane, Morley, Henderson. Subs | Lillis, Clarkson, Andrew, Moreland, Done, Bradley, Gillam, Tavares, Trialist, Matheson.