Rochdale Men’s Hockey 6 - 3 Golborne Men’s Hockey

Rochdale player Mark Eden

Rochdale's opening game of the season brought Golborne in the cup to Oulder Hill on Saturday. With a strong rivalry between the clubs it could potentially have been an early exit for Rochdale who reached the final last year, but Rochdale's prevailed.

Rochdale's nerves were settled early on when captain Michael Waddicor scored after just two minutes.

Rochdale were very much in control, and Rob Lees scored a second from a short corner.

Rochdale were getting in to their stride and when Michael Waddicor pushed a ball dwon the line to Sean Carnie, he showed great skill to whip it across the D where Dave Gowers scored with ease to make it 3-0 to Rochdale.

Scott Hempsall-Jones scored Rochdale's fourth with a neat top D strike.

Golborne kept attacking and Jimmy Decay in the Rochdale goal made a great save pushing the ball out to the top of the D, but Golborne reacted quickest picking up the second ball and pulling a goal back.

Within minutes, Golborne scored again.

With very little time before the break Golborne won a short corner. It was a crucial time in the game, as the momentum was beginning to turn, but Jimmy Decay in the Rochdale net made a fantastic save and pushed the ball wide and Rochdale saw out the first half 4-2 ahead.

The second half started much the same as the first with another early goal from Michael Waddicor.

A series of short corners followed for Rochdale and eventually a well worked slip to Mark Eden resulted in another goal.

Eden managed to weave through the defence to the by-line before pulling the ball back to Scott Hempsall-Jones for his second of the match and Rochdale's sixth.

Golborne did pull another goal back from a quick counter attack and shot from the top of the D, but even this and a yellow card couldn’t dampen the second half performance from Rochdale who ran out 6-3 winners.

Captain Michael Waddicor said: "It was a good opening performance from us, particularly Mark Eden in defence, and it gives us something solid to build on before our first league game, next week against Bolton."

Next match
Rochdale v Bolton Men
24 September, 2.00pm at Oulder Hill