Rochdale 2 - 0 Maidstone United

Rochdale AFC

Rochdale booked their place in round two of this season’s FA Cup with a fairly comfortable victory over National League side Maidstone United at The Crown Oil Arena. A Steven Davies double midway through the first half ensure it was Dale who will travel to Brunton Park next month to face League Two Carlisle United.

With Niall Canavan suspended and Keith Keane ineligible, Jim McNulty and Harrison McGahey started at the heart of the Dale defence with Conrad Logan getting a rare start in goal as Dale looked to avoid an upset at the hands of Maidstone.

The first game between these two side a fortnight ago saw Dale earn a replay with a last gasp Callum Camps free-kick but this evenings game was never as close as Dale dominated throughout.

Steven Davies opened the scoring on 14 minutes when he slotted home a Joe Rafferty centre after incessant Dale pressure finally told. Two crosses were just about cleared by the visitors but the third centre was too much with Davies on hand to turn the ball in.

Davies got his second eight minutes later from the penalty spot after Joe Bunney was pulled back inside the area by Bobby-Joe Taylor. Davies coolly rolling the ball into the bottom left hand corner with the keeper going the opposite way.

Davies could have had at least a hat-trick id it wasn’t for the heroics of Worgan in the Maidstone goal with the keeper pulling off a string of saves.

The visitors improved after the interval although Conrad Logan was rarely threatened.

Half time substitute Oli Rathbone should have done better for Dale when he headed wide from Bunney’s corner whilst the former Manchester United academy product saw another chance well saved by Worgan.

Logan made his first real save of the game just before the hour mark; Taylor’s 25 yard freekick warming the hands of the Dale keeper.

Dale continued to press and almost extended their lead through Davies, his shot coming at the end of a swift counter attack being saved.

Joe Thompson saw a snap shot well beaten away whilst Camps’ deflected shot was cleared off the line by Lokko in stoppage time.

Rochdale: Logan, Rafferty, McGahey, McNulty, Bunney, Camps (c), Cannon (Rathbone 46), Noble-Lazarus (Morley 84), Mendez-Laing, Thompson, Davies (Tanser 70).
Subs: (not used) Lillis, Gillam, Hollins, Kengi Kuemo.

Maidstone: Worgan (c), Twumasi, Lokko, Acheampong, Mills, Rogers (Paxman 58), Evans, Flisher (Greenalgh 70), Taylor, Loza, Odubade (Murphy 75).
Subs: (not used) Coyle, Sweeney, Enver-Marum, Parsons.

Referee: Mr N Miller
Assistants: Mr M C’Aguilar and Mr AR Hendley
Fourth Official: Mr A Jackson

Attendance: 1,350 (132 from Maidstone)