Hockey: Bolton Men’s Firsts 2 – 3 Rochdale Men’s Firsts

Rochdale Men’s Firsts made the short trip to face Bolton Men’s Firsts on Saturday (17 November).

Rochdale were in a positive mood, fresh from their win the previous week.

However, Bolton had other ideas and started the game well; Rochdale spent the first 15 minutes chasing shadows and only excellent defending from the Rochdale defence of Jimmy Decey, Mark Eden, Jonathan Herreran, Danny Bowe and Luke Rosebury kept the Bolton team at bay.

Despite the onslaught, it was Rochdale who scored first: a quick break away led to Sean Carney opening the scoring with a cool finish past the Bolton keeper. But Bolton kept coming and grabbed a deserved equaliser just before the interval.

Straight from half time, Bolton scored to make it 2-1. But this is a new Rochdale team and they dug deep, sticking to the game plan and pushing Bolton high up the pitch.

Things were starting to click with Adam Massey making some good runs into the heart of the Bolton defence.

Eventually the equaliser came, a big hit from the back was latched onto by Barry Gumbley, who managed to do all the hard work, leaving Andy Meanock to finish into an empty net for his second goal in as many weeks.

Rochdale, now having the upper hand, pushed hard and a great ball over the top of defence from Michael Waddicor, was met by the hard-working James Shepherd, seeing his first shot come back off the keeper, making a superb reverse stick finish to put Rochdale 3-2 up.

Bolton now began to throw everything they had at Rochdale, but again the defence - who had also welcomed back the previously injured Danny Ramsbottom - stood firm.

Even two heavy injuries to defender Eden, one to the ankle and one to the face, which would have finished most players, saw him simply turn and face the next attack.

Rochdale were also bombarded by short corners, but again with the help of Shepherd and Waddicor, they denied Bolton repeatedly.

Vice-Captain Eden said: "This was a real gutsy performance from Rochdale: we dug deep, stuck to our game plan and came away with three well-earned points against an excellent Bolton side. Every player should be proud of what they did today.

“I would make a special mention to Jonathan Herreran, who stepped in to play at the last moment, and was superb through the whole game.”

Man of the Match goes jointly to Mark Eden and Jonathan Herreran.