Devante Rodney made it three wins in a row with a 1-0 victory over Maidenhead United at the Crown Oil Arena.
Rodney’s third goal in as many games came seven minutes before the break, as Jimmy McNulty’s men ran out deserved winners.
There were two enforced changes from last Saturday’s 4-1 win at Eastleigh, with both Tiernan Brooks and George Nevett away on international duty. Jacob Chapman, signed on loan from Huddersfield Town, made his debut between the sticks, with Dan Sassi coming into defence.
Goalmouth action was hard to come by in the opening stages, with only efforts from distance from Harvey Gilmour for Dale and Casey Pettit for the visitors of note.
Dale were dominant in possession throughout the half and looked more threatening as the half wore on, with Kairo Mitchell and Rodney having shots well blocked.
The deadlock was broken with seven minutes of the half remaining. Ethan Ebanks-Landell found Mitchell with a great through ball, allowing the Dale striker to latch on to it before seeing a shot saved by goalkeeper Craig Ross. The ball looped up into the air with Rodney powering above a defender to head home from the edge of the six-yard box.
The visitors almost equalised five minutes later, but defender Will de Havilland headed inches wide of Chapman’s left post.
The second half started in a similar fashion to the first, with the first real effort on goal coming 20 minutes in, when Ebanks-Landell stabbed Ryan East’s corner wide.
Dale then put together a fine move which almost led to a second goal. Rodney received a pass and turned it round the corner for Gilmour, who played a through ball for Mitchell. He squared for Jimmy Keohane in the middle, who drew a fine save from Ross, sticking out a hand to deny the Irishman.
De Havilland struck a 25-yard volley sweetly, which Chapman stopped and held superbly above his head, with the ball arrowing towards the top corner.
Sam Mather, who replaced the injured Cian Hayes, saw a driven effort from 25-yards deflected over, before Chapman had to alert again, making a fine save low to his to deny Casey Pettit.
As the game wore on, the visitors threw men forward but Dale always looked comfortable, with a couple of brave blocks throw in. Kyron Gordon saw a shot deflected wide and Mitchell curled one wide as Dale tried to make the game safe, but it wasn’t needed in the end, as Jimmy McNulty’s men made it three wins in a row.
Dale XI | Chapman, Gordon, John (82’ Armstrong), East, Ebanks-Landell ©, Mitchell, Rodney (86’ Taylor), Keohane, Hayes (54’ Mather), Sassi, Gilmour.
Unused subs | Clayton, Uchegbulam.
