Saturday’s trip to the Broadfield Stadium will be Dale’s third visit, with the sides only playing each other a further three times.
The head-to-head is split evenly, with two wins each and a draw.
That draw came in their most recent meeting earlier in the season. Jack Powell put Crawley ahead deep into the first-half, scoring in added time. The midfielder sent a powerful effort into the top corner from the edge of the area, beating Richard O’Donnell.
On the hour mark, substitute Tyrese Sinclair drew Dale level with a diving header into the far bottom corner, following Aidy White’s cross.
Nick Tsaroulla was sent off for a second bookable offence with four minutes of normal time left to play, this didn’t change the final result in the end as the spoils were shared.
We’ve taken a look at a couple of our previous meetings…
Dale 4-1 Crawley Town – Saturday 17th January 2015
Goals from Scott Tanser, Calvin Andrew and an Ian Henderson brace earned a 4-1 win over Crawley at the Crown Oil Arena in 2015.
Dale were on top in the first half, causing all sorts of problems. Lewis Price, who was in between the sticks for the Reds, was by far the busier of the two goalkeepers.
And for the first part of the game, Price and his defence kept the score at 0-0.
In the 22nd minute, Dale felt like they should have been awarded a penalty as Joe Rafferty was shoved to the ground inside the area, before Matty Done was kept out by Price three minutes later. His powerful effort was directly at the ‘keeper, who did spill the shot but was saved by his defence, who cleared the ball away.
Dale’s pressure was rewarded when Stephen Dawson’s cross was initially pushed away by Price, but only as far as Tanser, who volleyed beyond the ‘keeper from the corner of the box.
The hosts continued to be on the front foot, this time Matty Done saw a penalty appeal waved away after being impeded on in the area. However, this wouldn’t come back to haunt Dale as they got a second minutes later.
Price spilt an effort from Rhys Bennett this time, sending the ball into the path of Ian Henderson, who netted from an acute angle.
Early in the second-half Done was sent to the ground again in the area and this time the referee pointed to the spot. Done stepped up to take the resulting spot-kick, but his effort was kept out by Price who dived to his left.
Crawley used this to drive themselves forward as they sent men up the pitch. An unmarked Marvin Elliot flashed a header just wide of the post following a corner.
Calvin Andrew and Bobson Bawling both had chances, but both Price and Dale ‘keeper Josh Lillis were equal to their efforts retrospectively.
Crawley continued to push to get a goal back and they did just that in the 76th minute. A Crawley Town free-kick was headed across the face of the goal, for Elliot who sent his effort behind Lillis.
This didn’t seem to faze Dale though. With 80 minutes on the clock, a corner ball was headed on by Andrew for Henderson, whose effort was blocked on the line from close range.
The visitors hit back with a chance of their own, with the Red’s skipper Joe Walsh firing narrowly over the bar in the 84th minute.
Any hopes from Crawley for a comeback were shut down when Henderson coolly side-footed the ball home in the 88th minute to net his second of the afternoon and Dale’s third.
And in stoppage time Andrew rounded off the scoring. Henderson sent the ball through for the frontman, who was being blocked off by a Crawley defender before the ‘keeper came charging off his line, clearing the ball off Andrew, resulting in the ball ending up in the back of the net from 30 yards.
Crawley 0-4 Dale – Saturday 6th September 2014
In the first-ever meeting between Rochdale and Crawley Town, Dale were 4-0 winners at the Broadfield Stadium.
Dale started brightly, putting the pressure on the Red Devils from the off.
In the opening minute, Matty Done marched down the left-hand side, before sending a ball across the face of the goal, but there were no blue shirts there to guide it into the back of the net.
Sixty seconds later, Stephen Dawson fired an effort from 20 yards over the bar, before Scott Tanser picked out Peter Vincenti, who in turn crossed for Henderson at the back post. He attempted a first-time volley; however, his effort went wide of the upright.
Crawley managed to get an opening of their own through Lewis Young. He dragged a deflected effort wide of the target, earning a corner ball. Matt Harrold got on the end of the set-piece, heading into the side netting.
Dale continued to be lively, and they went on to break the deadlock through an excellent strike from Done. The forward curled an effort from the edge of the 18-yard box around Brian Jensen and into the net, giving Dale a deserved lead.
The Red’s replied with a chance of their own through Harrold, whose goal bound header was tipped up and over the bar. The resulting corner was sent towards the back post, and after being headed down, Dean Leacock could only blaze an effort from six yards over the bar.
Both teams continued to create a couple of opportunities, but it was Dale who took the lead into the break.
The second-half didn’t disappoint, with both Dale and Crawley starting brightly.
But it was Dale who doubled their advantage. Stephen Dawson found the run of Done, who after getting into the area, pulled the ball back for Vincenti. The Dale man picked his spot and slotted home calmly past Jensen.
Done nearly gave Dale a third, his effort was kept out by the finger-tips of Jensen, who had done enough to steer the ball away from the awaiting Calvin Andrew who had followed in towards the back post.
Dale did go on to extend their lead. Andrew sent a ball out to Done, who was in the corner. He sent a cross into the area for Vincenti, who headed beyond Jensen.
And ten minutes later Dale put the game to bed. Andrew this time the scorer, heading home to give Dale a four-goal advantage. Done was again the provider, he was involved in all four goals, scoring the opener and assisting the following three goals.