I'm having a run of luck with my predictions at the moment and, as I forecast, Charlton beat Rochdale 3-1 at The Valley this afternoon. Racon opened the scoring for Charlton on 31 minutes and that was how it remained at the break.
Rochdale equalised on 51 minutes, but Parrett replied by opening his account with the Addicks just one minute later. Eccleston scored the third on 76 minutes. This was rated as a particularly good goal following a great cross by Benson.
Possession was evenly divided but tellingly the Addicks had ten shots on targets to three.
One person who was there gave Parrett as MOTM, 'was everywhere although tired towards the end. Racon got better as the game went on, his goal did him a lot of favours because he was at best in and out up until then.'
Calum Harriot came on as a late substitute to make his debut for the Addicks (the BBC refers to him as Harriots but perhaps their source had double vision).
Charlton remain 13th, but the target of a top half finish is within their grasp.
Showing posts with label Rochdale. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rochdale. Show all posts
Monday, 25 April 2011
Sunday, 24 April 2011
A Dale fan writes
As Charlton prepare for the bank holiday fixture with Rochdale without captain Jose Semedo, our friendly Rochadle fan writes:
'After today's disappointing 3-2 defeat at Spotland to Carlisle in what was a superb advert for league 1 football, we find ourselves three points behind Bournemouth in the last play off spot with an inferior goal difference with three to play. So nothing less than three wins will do it for us, bearing in mind that the last game is at Bournemouth. And we also require them to drop points. So it is looking unlikely that we will make it.
Ten days ago we recorded a fantastic 2-0 win at home to Southampton, but that, as well as playing twice a week for about five weeks, has taken a lot out of the players and they are running more or less on empty now. They need to raise their game one last time for a finish that involves games with Charlton, Peterborough and Bournemouth but, if the play offs prove out of reach, we can still hopefully equal or better our best ever performance, which was to finish 9th at this level in 1969-70
For Rochdale this has been a wonderful season.' (Which is more than we can say)
Chris Powell was serenaded with a chant of 'Chris Powell's red and white army' as he made his way round to the main stand after being sent off yesterday. Semedo was sent off after player-manager Stuart Campbell fell to the ground clutching is face and angry supremo Powell commented, 'When you see a player-manager wink at the fans and clap his bench, having got an opponent sent off, something is wrong.'
Rochdale have lost three of their last four home games and manager Keith Hill admits that they have wilted in the pressure cooker of the run. I am going for a 3-1 win for the Addicks tomorrow.
'After today's disappointing 3-2 defeat at Spotland to Carlisle in what was a superb advert for league 1 football, we find ourselves three points behind Bournemouth in the last play off spot with an inferior goal difference with three to play. So nothing less than three wins will do it for us, bearing in mind that the last game is at Bournemouth. And we also require them to drop points. So it is looking unlikely that we will make it.
Ten days ago we recorded a fantastic 2-0 win at home to Southampton, but that, as well as playing twice a week for about five weeks, has taken a lot out of the players and they are running more or less on empty now. They need to raise their game one last time for a finish that involves games with Charlton, Peterborough and Bournemouth but, if the play offs prove out of reach, we can still hopefully equal or better our best ever performance, which was to finish 9th at this level in 1969-70
For Rochdale this has been a wonderful season.' (Which is more than we can say)
Chris Powell was serenaded with a chant of 'Chris Powell's red and white army' as he made his way round to the main stand after being sent off yesterday. Semedo was sent off after player-manager Stuart Campbell fell to the ground clutching is face and angry supremo Powell commented, 'When you see a player-manager wink at the fans and clap his bench, having got an opponent sent off, something is wrong.'
Rochdale have lost three of their last four home games and manager Keith Hill admits that they have wilted in the pressure cooker of the run. I am going for a 3-1 win for the Addicks tomorrow.
Thursday, 31 March 2011
Dale view of the game
Those Addicks who went to the Rochdale game thought that we played quite well, particularly in terms of passing. We did fail to take our chances and that perhaps reflects a team lacking confidence.
The view of the match taken by the Addickted who were there is confirmed by this report written for us by a Rochdale fan:
Super. Two teams going for it. One suffering from perhaps a little over anxiety and some wayward shooting at times, and coming up against a goalkeeper in superb form, the other benefiting from a great and slightly uncharacteristic strike from Jason Kennedy and a nice hook home for Craig Dawson, from a slightly fortunate corner.
The game reminded me somewhat of the game where we beat Huddersfield earlier in the season 3-0 despite being under the cosh for long periods. This was not quite as one sided, but Charlton made a host of great chances and fluffed them, and Owain Fon Williams made four superb saves, including two from substitute Paul Benson that were out of this world, and kept Dale 1-0 up. Dale played some superb football.
Chris Powell has not really given Rochdale any credit in his slightly blinkered post match comments but some of the passing Dale played on the night was first rate. They also defended like Trojans against what I have to say is a very good Charlton side. A fair result would have been a draw. I would go so far as to say in terms of entertainment value it is probably the best match I have seen this season, with the outcome in doubt right up to the last kick. When Benson came on and Charlton had ten to fifteen minutes of sustained pressure I could only see one outcome and that was an equaliser, But we held out and it didn't happen. Four wins on the bounce with four clean sheets. Am I dreaming?
The view of the match taken by the Addickted who were there is confirmed by this report written for us by a Rochdale fan:
Super. Two teams going for it. One suffering from perhaps a little over anxiety and some wayward shooting at times, and coming up against a goalkeeper in superb form, the other benefiting from a great and slightly uncharacteristic strike from Jason Kennedy and a nice hook home for Craig Dawson, from a slightly fortunate corner.
The game reminded me somewhat of the game where we beat Huddersfield earlier in the season 3-0 despite being under the cosh for long periods. This was not quite as one sided, but Charlton made a host of great chances and fluffed them, and Owain Fon Williams made four superb saves, including two from substitute Paul Benson that were out of this world, and kept Dale 1-0 up. Dale played some superb football.
Chris Powell has not really given Rochdale any credit in his slightly blinkered post match comments but some of the passing Dale played on the night was first rate. They also defended like Trojans against what I have to say is a very good Charlton side. A fair result would have been a draw. I would go so far as to say in terms of entertainment value it is probably the best match I have seen this season, with the outcome in doubt right up to the last kick. When Benson came on and Charlton had ten to fifteen minutes of sustained pressure I could only see one outcome and that was an equaliser, But we held out and it didn't happen. Four wins on the bounce with four clean sheets. Am I dreaming?
Tuesday, 29 March 2011
Expectations
I wonder how many fans are happy with how their football club is doing at the moment? In League 1 Brighton fans should be and the Norwich fans I have talked to recently are happy with their first season back in the Championship. Super Hoops fans should be satisfied with their impending return to what they regard as their rightful home.
Quite hard to find happy supporters in the Premiership though. Manchester United should win the Premiership and could even do the treble, but they haven't been playing at their best this season. And there is no sign of the hated owners budging.
Arsenal look like they are facing another season without a trophy. Chelsea have surrendered the title, although they are still in the Champions League, as are Spurs, against expectations. But whether they can qualify next season remains to be seen. One thing is certain: the moment something goes wrong Spurs fans will be flooding the airwaves moaning.
Manchester City look like a collection of talented but petulant individuals, not a team. Liverpool have had a nightmare period, but at least are coming out of it with new owners and a new, much loved manager. Down at the other end, Villa fans have real cause for concern.
So who are the happy campers? Stoke City should be as they have consolidated their position in the top flight, albeit with a style of play that has won them few friends. But no doubt the complaint in the Potteries is about 'mid table mediocrity'. Possibly Blackpool fans have the greatest cause for enjoy because, after a roller coaster season with some spectacular results, they could well stay up.
In our division, Rochdale fans have every reason to be pleased with what they have achieved this season. It's going to be a tough game for us tonight. The bookies favour a home win and who could say they are wrong? I find this a difficult match to call, but if we do win I will be over the moon.
Quite hard to find happy supporters in the Premiership though. Manchester United should win the Premiership and could even do the treble, but they haven't been playing at their best this season. And there is no sign of the hated owners budging.
Arsenal look like they are facing another season without a trophy. Chelsea have surrendered the title, although they are still in the Champions League, as are Spurs, against expectations. But whether they can qualify next season remains to be seen. One thing is certain: the moment something goes wrong Spurs fans will be flooding the airwaves moaning.
Manchester City look like a collection of talented but petulant individuals, not a team. Liverpool have had a nightmare period, but at least are coming out of it with new owners and a new, much loved manager. Down at the other end, Villa fans have real cause for concern.
So who are the happy campers? Stoke City should be as they have consolidated their position in the top flight, albeit with a style of play that has won them few friends. But no doubt the complaint in the Potteries is about 'mid table mediocrity'. Possibly Blackpool fans have the greatest cause for enjoy because, after a roller coaster season with some spectacular results, they could well stay up.
In our division, Rochdale fans have every reason to be pleased with what they have achieved this season. It's going to be a tough game for us tonight. The bookies favour a home win and who could say they are wrong? I find this a difficult match to call, but if we do win I will be over the moon.
Monday, 28 March 2011
A Dale fan writes, Part 3
Hopefully it will be third time lucky at Rochdale tomorrow night and the game will go ahead. Our friendly Dale fan has updated us on the team's progress and give us his thoughts about tomorrow night's game when he will be supplying a report as well as one by our very own Paul May:
With ten games to go we are now safe. We have 54 points. We can raise a smile and think about the fact that almost everyone outside , and some inside, Rochdale thought we were certainties for relegation this season. We are above clubs such as Charlton and Sheffield Wednesday in the league table. We are living the dream. The Keith Hill bandwaggon rolls on. Two play-off appearances, including a first ever appearance at Wembley, followed by the glory of the elusive promotion, and now a very good chance of a top half finish in the third tier for only the second time in our history, or even better.
Since Christmas we have lost only three times in seventeen games, winning nine and drawing five. Talismanic midfielder Gary Jones is now on a personal best of 18 for the season in all competitions, and his most regular goalscoring partner is centre half Craig Dawson, who is off to West Brom at the end of the season and has to be replaced. Recent games have seen a 4-5-1 system deployed to great effect, with Chris O'Grady holding up the ball superbly and bringing in runners such as Jones, Matt Done and Nicky Adams to great effect. The idea of playing Charlton in a league game still does not seem real, it is only a few years since there were 3 levels between us as we all travelled down to watch you beating us comfortably 4-1 (despite a few scares after Grant Holt pulled one back for us early in the second half) in the FA Cup in 2005.
I know that Charlton have been on a poor run after the initially euphoric reaction to Chris Powell's appointment, but they seem to be steadying the ship with good results against Bournemouth and Southampton, and with the threat of Bradley Wright Phillips I think it will be a tight game, possibly settled by one goal.
With ten games to go we are now safe. We have 54 points. We can raise a smile and think about the fact that almost everyone outside , and some inside, Rochdale thought we were certainties for relegation this season. We are above clubs such as Charlton and Sheffield Wednesday in the league table. We are living the dream. The Keith Hill bandwaggon rolls on. Two play-off appearances, including a first ever appearance at Wembley, followed by the glory of the elusive promotion, and now a very good chance of a top half finish in the third tier for only the second time in our history, or even better.
Since Christmas we have lost only three times in seventeen games, winning nine and drawing five. Talismanic midfielder Gary Jones is now on a personal best of 18 for the season in all competitions, and his most regular goalscoring partner is centre half Craig Dawson, who is off to West Brom at the end of the season and has to be replaced. Recent games have seen a 4-5-1 system deployed to great effect, with Chris O'Grady holding up the ball superbly and bringing in runners such as Jones, Matt Done and Nicky Adams to great effect. The idea of playing Charlton in a league game still does not seem real, it is only a few years since there were 3 levels between us as we all travelled down to watch you beating us comfortably 4-1 (despite a few scares after Grant Holt pulled one back for us early in the second half) in the FA Cup in 2005.
I know that Charlton have been on a poor run after the initially euphoric reaction to Chris Powell's appointment, but they seem to be steadying the ship with good results against Bournemouth and Southampton, and with the threat of Bradley Wright Phillips I think it will be a tight game, possibly settled by one goal.
Saturday, 29 January 2011
Flash - match off
Today's match at Rochdale is off. This comes from a CAFC official tweet. Frozen pitch oop north.
So we will drop further down the table and have more fixture congestion. Powell out now!
So we will drop further down the table and have more fixture congestion. Powell out now!
Thursday, 27 January 2011
A Dale fan writes
The Rochdale fan who wrote for us before gives his views on how Rochdale are doing:
After a barren run of one win in eleven competitive games, the enforced winter break has completely revitalised Rochdale and 2011 has been superb thus far, with Dale topping the current form table over the past six games and moving from 19th to 9th in the league one table. We have rediscovered how to win games again. A 3-2 win over Tranmere on New Year's Day was the catylyst, in a game that could have gone either way up the last kick. This was followed by a 2-1 win away at Oldham with Chris O'Grady on the mark twice against the club that sold him to Dale a year ago, and then a dogged 1-0 win at Dagenham, with O'Grady again scoring. A 1-1 draw at home to Leyton Orient was followed by a 0-0 draw against Bournemouth, in a superb advert for league 1 football, and then another dogged and determined win away at Yeovil.
We have learnt a lot about league one football over the past few months and no-one is getting carried away and shouting about the play-offs now, unlike earlier in the year. After we beat Huddersfield 3-0 at Spotland at then end of September, we all got a bit above ourselves, and found it a bit difficult over the subsequent months when we were brought back down to earth with a bang. We are now just enjoying the moment, with Charlton, Sheffield Wednesday and Southampton all due to visit Spotland in the next month. We are allowing ourselves to dream just a little, and looking fondly at the play-off zone, while still keeping an eye on the sides below us.
The key players remain the same. Midfield talisman Gary Jones, now on 13 goals for the season, his best ever haul, talented defender Craig Dawson and cultured striker Chris O'Grady.
As I have to be at Coventry Cathedral on Saturday afternoon, the Rochdale fan will be providing a match report.
After a barren run of one win in eleven competitive games, the enforced winter break has completely revitalised Rochdale and 2011 has been superb thus far, with Dale topping the current form table over the past six games and moving from 19th to 9th in the league one table. We have rediscovered how to win games again. A 3-2 win over Tranmere on New Year's Day was the catylyst, in a game that could have gone either way up the last kick. This was followed by a 2-1 win away at Oldham with Chris O'Grady on the mark twice against the club that sold him to Dale a year ago, and then a dogged 1-0 win at Dagenham, with O'Grady again scoring. A 1-1 draw at home to Leyton Orient was followed by a 0-0 draw against Bournemouth, in a superb advert for league 1 football, and then another dogged and determined win away at Yeovil.
We have learnt a lot about league one football over the past few months and no-one is getting carried away and shouting about the play-offs now, unlike earlier in the year. After we beat Huddersfield 3-0 at Spotland at then end of September, we all got a bit above ourselves, and found it a bit difficult over the subsequent months when we were brought back down to earth with a bang. We are now just enjoying the moment, with Charlton, Sheffield Wednesday and Southampton all due to visit Spotland in the next month. We are allowing ourselves to dream just a little, and looking fondly at the play-off zone, while still keeping an eye on the sides below us.
The key players remain the same. Midfield talisman Gary Jones, now on 13 goals for the season, his best ever haul, talented defender Craig Dawson and cultured striker Chris O'Grady.
As I have to be at Coventry Cathedral on Saturday afternoon, the Rochdale fan will be providing a match report.
Sunday, 5 December 2010
Dale take financial hit
Rochdale reckon they have lost £50,000 as a result of the postponement of the game with Charlton. Supremo Chris Dunphy told The Football League Paper 'We were expecting a big crowd with them doing well and not having played Rochdale in a league game for so long. We were hoping to bring in £50,000. You won't get the same crowd again for a midweek game so we will lose out there.'
On another topic, The Non-League Paper is reporting that the financial situation at Welling has deteriorated further and there is a real risk of the club folding and going out of the Blue Square South (Ilkeston Town have already folded in the Blue Square North).
It's difficult to assess how serious the situation really is, but the tax authorities are taking a hard line with clubs that do not pay their bills. If they did fold, it would have implications for Charlton as we use Park View Road as a second string ground as well as opening the season by playing the Wings in the Crown Berger Cup.
On another topic, The Non-League Paper is reporting that the financial situation at Welling has deteriorated further and there is a real risk of the club folding and going out of the Blue Square South (Ilkeston Town have already folded in the Blue Square North).
It's difficult to assess how serious the situation really is, but the tax authorities are taking a hard line with clubs that do not pay their bills. If they did fold, it would have implications for Charlton as we use Park View Road as a second string ground as well as opening the season by playing the Wings in the Crown Berger Cup.
Friday, 3 December 2010
Rochdale game postponed
As expected, this game has been postponed due to a frozen pitch. This will mean a midweek trip to Rochdale which will reduce the number of Addickted able to go and may help the home side.
At this time I have no definite news of Leamington v. Swindon Supermarine. There has been only a sprinkling of snow up here and if the temperature rises tomorrow, it may still be on. Brakes recently won the national sports ground award, as well as the environmental award and it was a real thrill for the chairman and others to be congratulated by Premier League clubs.
At this time I have no definite news of Leamington v. Swindon Supermarine. There has been only a sprinkling of snow up here and if the temperature rises tomorrow, it may still be on. Brakes recently won the national sports ground award, as well as the environmental award and it was a real thrill for the chairman and others to be congratulated by Premier League clubs.
Friday, 28 May 2010
Addicks chase 'Dale striker
London WC1: The lack of a proven goalscorer has been one of Charlton's greatest weaknesses this season and now the Addicks have expressed an interest in 24-year old Rochdale striker Chris Dagnall: Dagnall
Dagnell found the net 20 times last season, but if promoted Rochdale are short of readies, so are Charlton and at the moment Phil Parkinson cannot make a move. It's not so long ago that a cup tie at The Valley was a 'big day out' for Rochdale fans who include my publisher at Manchester University Press.
There are rumours that Johnnie Jackson has signed from Notts County who have just seen a managerial departure, but such a move might depend in part on the injury prognosis for Kelly Youga. Jackson impressed in his loan spell at The Valley.
Dagnell found the net 20 times last season, but if promoted Rochdale are short of readies, so are Charlton and at the moment Phil Parkinson cannot make a move. It's not so long ago that a cup tie at The Valley was a 'big day out' for Rochdale fans who include my publisher at Manchester University Press.
There are rumours that Johnnie Jackson has signed from Notts County who have just seen a managerial departure, but such a move might depend in part on the injury prognosis for Kelly Youga. Jackson impressed in his loan spell at The Valley.
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