Chester City 0 Rochdale 4

Manager Keith Hill missed the game due to illness but his players a performance and result that will have raised his spirits.Suffering from a virus the gaffer opted to stay away from The Deva but his side were in safe hands as Dave Flitcroft oversaw what in the end turned out to be something of a rout.

To be fair to the home side they didn't start like a team who had taken just 1 point from the last 7 games and created the best of the opening oppportunities. Indeed Dale were again indebted to the agility of keeper Sam Russell as he somehow kept out Paul Lindfields close range effort after just 10 minutes. On 16 minutes Lindfield, who impresssed throughout ,carved an opening on the left and only a fantastic clearance from Tom Kennedy denied Ritchie Partridge what would have been a gilt edged chance.

Slowly but surely though Dale began to exert some control with Rene Howe going close with a left footed effort and Adam Le Fondre miscuing in front of goal after terrific work by Kallum Higginbotham.

The outcome of the game hinged on a 90 second period either side of the half hour mark. On 29 minutes after more good work by Higginbotham Howe saw his effort blocked by home keeper Danby only for Le Fondre to follow up score.

Then with Chester attempting to get back into a game they won a left wing corner and as the players lined up for it Kevin Ellison head butted Simon Ramsden and could have little argument as he was shown a red card bt referee Beeby.

By now Dale were in complete control with Dave Perkins shooting straight at Danby with the goal at his mercy and Howe just failing to connect with a Le Fondre cross. A second goal looked sure to follow and it did in the 43 rd minute courtesy of home skipper Paul Butler with the former Dale defender toe poking the ball into his own net under the combined pressure of Howe and Le Fondre.

The second half would surely be about goal difference and that turned out to be the case. After Howe and Le Fondre had both found the net but been foiled by offside flags Tom Kennedy produced a real goal of the season contender. Dave Perkins intercepted the ball on the half way line and fed Kennedy who proceeded to slalom his way round a series of challenges before calmy slotting home with right foot from 8 yards.


If things weren't great for the home side they would get worse as in the 84rd minute Lawrence Wilson was somewhat harshly shown a straight red card for a professional foul on Perkins as he raced through and then 4 minutes later substitute Adam Rundle completed the scoring with a powerful run and shot from the left hand side of the area.

An excellent night with the away support in good voice and humour and at last we are into the top 7.


Hopefully Hilly will quickly be over his illness and getting the players ready for their next big challenge as big spending Peterborough come to town on Saturday

Chester: Danby, Vaughan, Butler, Linwood (Roberts 42), Wilson, Partridge (Sandwith 77), Welsh, Grant (Hughes 79), Ellison, Murphy, Lindfield.
Subs Not Used: Palethorpe, Holroyd.

Sent Off: Ellison (32), Wilson (86).

Booked: Wilson, Butler, Lindfield.

Rochdale: Russell, Ramsden, Holness, McArdle (D'Laryea 77), Kennedy, Higginbotham (Muirhead 69), Doolan (Rundle 73), Jones, Perkins, Howe, Le Fondre.
Subs Not Used: Spencer, Thompson.

Goals: Le Fondre 29, Butler 44 og, Kennedy 60, Rundle 88.

Att: 2,131

Ref: Richard Beeby (Northamptonshire).