Rochdale’s final game of the 2021/22 campaign ended in victory, with Dale recording a 2-0 victory over Newport County in South Wales.
Matty Done broke the deadlock at Rodney Parade in the 16th minute, while Abraham Odoh rounded off the victory in stoppage time.
There was one change to the side that lined up against Bristol Rovers last Saturday, with Jimmy McNulty coming in for Jimmy Keohane, who missed the game due to needing an operation on his shoulder.
The home side started brightly and put Rochdale under pressure during the opening exchanges, but Dale stood firm, comfortably rebuffing them, and that was the story for much of the half, with Robbie Stockdale’s side creating the better of the chances.
With Newport County unable to carve out an opening, it was Dale that tested first, after five minutes. Luke Charman, who netted his first goals for the club in last weekend, struck an effort across goal and narrowly wide of the right.
The Exiles continued to enjoy plenty of the ball, again without troubling, and Rochdale took the lead through Done in the 16th minute. On his 310th appearance for the club, he beat the offside trap to latch onto the end of Ethan Brierley’s brilliant through ball and he fired a powerful effort beyond Nick Townsend.
Six minutes later, Brierley struck a 20-yard volley narrowly wide the upright, as an offside flag went up against Done.
The midfielder then had a shot from the edge from the edge of the area held by the ‘keeper.
Before the half was out, Max Taylor put himself in the way of Finn Azaz’s powerful effort, while Josh Pask sent a header well over.
A real battled ensued at the start of the second half, with the game to-ing and fro-ing, with both sides creating an opportunity apiece during the opening quarter of an hour. Brierley struck over from range for Dale and Newport’s Rob Street sent a header narrowly over.
Street should have levelled the scoring in the 67th minute after being played through on goal, but could only strike narrowly wide of the upright.
Soon after, Dominic Telford got on the end of Azaz’s cross into the box, heading it down and into the ground, but a good block Taylor averted the danger.
Sixty seconds later Telford was in again, after the ball was thread into his feet, but out came Jake Eastwood to deny him, steering away the shot with a foot.
Rochdale’s first substitution of the game followed in the 76th minute, with Abraham Odoh replacing the injured Charman who couldn’t continue.
Nine minutes from time, Eastwood kept out Pask with a fine save, before Street head over on the rebound.
Done made way for Josh Andrews late on, going off to a standing ovation from the 277 travelling supporters.
Andrews was involved immediately after his introduction and almost doubled Dale’s advantage with his first touch of the game, but he could only look on as his strike went inches wide of the upright.
But Rochdale’s second of the afternoon did come, with fellow substitute Odoh rounding off the scoring as the game went into six minutes of stoppage time. It was a great move from Dale and after receiving the ball just inside the area, Odoh took a touch and fired into the bottom corner.
Andrews had a shot tipped round the near post, as Dale went in search of third and Odoh fired narrowly wide of the target right at the death.
FT | Newport County 0-2 Rochdale