Report: Rochdale 3-1 Maidenhead United

 

Alan Devonshire made four changes to the side who drew 1-1 with Dagenham & Redbridge with Shawn McCoulsky, Miles Welch-Hayes, Sam Barratt and Joseph Ajose coming in for Jayden Mitchell-Lawson, Owen Cochrane, Brad Keetch and Tristan Abrahams. 

 

Maidenhead started the game the stronger of the two sides and had the first chance of the evening through McCoulsky. Reece Smith won the ball up high following a clearance from David Robson and found the striker, his effort on goal deflected and forced a good save out of Robson. 

 

Rochdale took the lead just before twenty minutes through Ryan East. The defender was found in space on the edge of the box from a corner before striking into the top corner. 

 

Following the goal, both sides looked to control possession with neither side able to create any clear chances. 

 

Rochdale doubled their lead just before the interval after ball from Dan Sassi evaded everyone and found Kairo Mitchell whose strike wrong-footed Craig Ross and rolled into the bottom corner. 

 

The Magpies had a decent spell of possession before the break which resulted in James Golding seeing his effort tipped onto the post by Robson in net. 

 

 

Mitchell got his second goal of the game one minute into the second half after being played through by Connor McBride, his strike was too powerful for Ross. 

 

The hosts continued to control the game following the third with the Magpies unable to get out of their half. 

 

Joseph Ajose got his first goal of the season after the hour mark after some tricky footwork and a tidy finish into the bottom corner. 

 

The goal seemed to encourage Maidenhead who continued to press the hosts looking for a way back into the game with a few set-pieces. Thierry Latty-Fairweather saw an effort cleared off the line during a strong spell in the game. 

 

Casey Pettit was the next to test his luck with a curling effort from the edge of the box which skimmed past the post. 

 

McBride looked to get Rochdale a fourth from range, thankfully his effort clipped the outside the post and out for a goal-kick. Miles Welch-Hayes found himself in space moments later but couldn’t get his effort on goal. 

 

 

Rochdale: David Robson, Kyron Gordon ©, Ryan East, Aaron Henry (Gilmour 61’), Tarryn Allarakhia (Armstrong 71’), Kairo Mitchell, Tobi Adebayo-Rowling (Alfa 61’), Leon Ayinde (Burger 71’), Dan Sassi, Connor McBride (Ferguson 81’), Sam Beckwith. 

 

Maidenhead United: Craig Ross ©, Will De Havilland, Kevin Lokko, Thierry Latty-Fairweather, Shawn McCoulsky (Carvalho 84’), Casey Pettit (Keetch 88’), Reece Smith, Miles Welch-Hayes, Sam Barratt (Abrahams 71’), James Golding, Joseph Ajose (Sho-Silva 79’).