Saturday 21st April 2007 - KO 3pm

 5

Macclesfield Town

 0

1

Matt Gilks

 13

 Tommy Lee

2

Simon Ramsden

 2

 Carl Regan

16

David Perkins

 4

 Dave Morley

23

Rory McArdle

 6

 Martin Bullock

12

Alan Goodall

 9

 Matty McNeil 46

5

John Doolan

 10

 John Miles

19

Lee Crooks

 14

 Kevin McIntyre

15

Joe Thompson 81

 17

 Jordan Hadfield 83

17

Glenn Murray

 24

 Rob Scott

9

Chris Dagnall 66

 26

 John Murphy

11

Adam Rundle 71

 36

 Ashen Holgate 46

Substitutes

13

Lloyd Rigby

 7

 Alan Navaro 46

26

Glenn Poole 71

 11

 Jamie Tolley

30

Louis Dodds 66

 12

 Matt Tipton 46

14

Gary Brown 81

 19

 James Jennings

31

Danny Reet

 36

 Isaiah Rankin 83

SCORERS

Dagnall, 20,41,45  Murray 47, 59

BOOKINGS

Morley 18, Holgate 26, Scott 80

Stuart Ashworth at Spotland

Rochdale roared into the top ten with a 'Smooth as Silk' performance at Spotland, crushing Paul Ince's Macclesfield Town and pushing them further to the drop zone.

Dale moved above Wycombe Wanderers in the table but despite the win the gap to the final play-off place remained five points though it is Stockport County who look the team to catch.

Macclesfield assistant manager Ray Mathias gave credit to Rochdale after the game but admitted his side put in a below-par performance something that has been a problem for the Silkmen all season on their travels.

Keith Hill's 'take the game to them' policy looked to work virtually from the start after just two minutes had elapsed the home side got their first sniff of an opening.

Rochdale should have taken the lead after John Doolan created the opening with good work in the centre of midfield before finding Chris Dagnall on the edge of the box.  The strikers shot was blocked, though the ball looped up and found Adam Rundle inside the box. 

The former Mansfield man showed good skill to hook the ball over the defender's head before blasting a right-footed shot that 'keeper Tommy Lee did well to block. 

However, the move didn't end there because Rundle was given a second bite after the loose ball found its way back to him.  Sadly Rundle's snap shot was wide although Murray had the chance to tap home from close range, but the ball fizzed past him before he had time to react..

Rochdale continued to put the pressure on Paul Inces' side who never really got going on a bumpy Spotland surface although they went close to scoring after a freekick floated into the area almost drifted over the head of Matt Gilks who did well to readjust and tip the ball away.

The first goal did come and it was no surprise to see it come Rochdale's way.  Constant pressure from the home side brought a succession of corners from which defender Rory McArdle got the opportunity to break the deadlock.  His powerful downward header was saved on the line, but it wasn't 'keeper Tommy Lee who got there to palm the ball away but his captian and defender Dave Morley.

The Macclesfield man escaped with a yellow card for the offence though his side were pushed after Chris Dagnall smashed home the spot-kick after Lee had pushed the ball onto the post.

Rochdale continued to push for more though at times it left them a little light at the back.  Macclesfield striker John Murray was providing the odd moment in the Dale box and should have done a little more with a curling shot on 26 minutes after turning Alan Goodall in the box.

Three minutes later Goodall linked well with Rundle down the left wing to create a great chance for youngster Joe Thompson.  Making his second start in a week Thompson met the Goodall centre with a glancing header that just drifted wide of the far post with 'keeper Lee well beaten.

He was shown the path to goal four minutes before the break in delightful style after Glenn Murray popped a great ball through for Dagnall.  The former Tranmere player took the ball into the box before applying a deft touch with the outside of his right boot to lift the ball over the advancing Lee.

Four minutes later Dagnall struck again but this time he took advantage of some woeful defending by Macclesfield after a ball into the box was very poorly dealt with.  Dagnall latched onto the the loose ball a drilled home for his hat-trick with almost the last kick of the half. 

Macclesfield boss Paul ince made a double switch at the start of the second half in a bid to get back into the game with Matt Tipton and Alan Navarro replacing Matt McNeil and Ashen Holgate.

Sadly for the Silkmen the planned fight-back last 90 seconds into the half after Dale extended their lead thanks to Glenn Murray.  Strike partner Chris Dagnall turned provider with a perfect pass from the left side of box and Murray drilled home with his left foot into the bottom corner.

The game got a little scrappy for a while after that but Dale managed to climb back onto the scoring trail and it was all thanks to another 'Daggers Muzza combo'

Wide on the right, Chris Dagnall drove a 40-yard diagonal pass over the head of Macclesfield's Carl Regan and into the path of Murray.   The former Carlisle United man turned before curling a right-footed shot beyond the despairing dive of Tommy Lee and into the bottom far corner.

The visitors did manage to trouble 'keeper Matt Gilks a couple of times but good defending for the most part by Rochdale kept them at bay.

Isaiah Rankin was introduced later in the game and he looked to carry a threat going forward.  He also had a couple of chances to spalsh a little mud on Gilks' linen, but the Dale 'keeper denied him late on after pushing a good effort around the post.

A comprehensive win and a more than comfortable performance from Keith Hill's side who look to take on champions-elect Hartlepool United at Spotland next week. 

It promises to be a cracker with points vital for either side especially with no-one seemingly wanting that final spot.

Match Stats

Rochdale

Macclesfield town

ATTEMPTS

 17

ATTEMPTS

 17

ON TARGET

 10

ON TARGET

9 

FREEKICKS

 11

FREEKICKS

 17

CORNERS

 5

CORNERS

 5

OFFSIDE

4 

OFFSIDE

 2

YELLOW CARDS

 0

YELLOW CARDS

 3

RED CARDS

 0

RED CARDS

 0

POSSESSION

49%

POSSESSION

51%

Stats by PA

Star Player

Rochdale

Macclesfield Town

 Chris Dagnall

 John Murphy

 Lively and back to his best.

Managers Comments in Brief

Keith Hill

Ray Mathais (Ass. Manager) 

"There is a massive winning mentality amongst the players and that showed from the first whistle to the last."

 "Got to give credit to Rochdale for their win but we were poor today."

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