Rochdale 3 - 0 Wealdstone

Date published: 29 February 2024

Man-of-the-match Cian Hayes scored twice as Rochdale comprehensively outplayed Wealdstone with a superb first half performance that saw Dale going into the half time break with a 3-0 lead.

Both teams started well but after the first ten minutes Dale dominated possession throughout the rest of the first half, coming close to a first goal when Mitchell hit the side netting with a header from a Ryan East corner.

Mitchell continued to cause Wealdstone problems and it was the Dale front man who tested Dewhurst with a close range header that the Wealdstone keeper saved superbly.

Such was Dale's control of the game it was only a matter of time before they were rewarded for their positive play, and it was captain Ethan Ebanks-Landell who scored when Wealdstone failed to deal with an East ball into the penalty area.

Ebanks-Landell thought he had put Dale two up only for the assistant referee's flag to rule out the goal for offside. An East free kick found Harvey Gilmour and his shot was saved by Dewhurst but straight into the path of Ebanks-Landell just a couple of yards from goal; Ebanks-Landell tapped into the net but his celebrations were cut short by the assistant referee.

As half time approached Hayes scored the first of his two goals to give Dale the second goal they deserved. East played a cross into Mitchell and his header hit the post before landing at the feet of Dewhurst who tried to clear but sent the ball straight to Hayes, who scored from close range.

Hayes second, and Dale's third, came just minutes later in time added on at the end of the first half; Mellor found Hayes on the right wing and from the edge of the penalty area Hayes clipped a looping ball over Dewhurst that dipped into the far top corner of the Wealdstone goal.

In the second half, Wealdstone came out with more determination and had a period of pinning Dale in their own half, coming closest to scoring when Tarryn Allarakhia's shot hit the post. After that though Wealdstone never really looked like getting back into the game because as good as Dale had been in attack in the first half they were resolute in defence in the second half.

Rochdale could have had a fourth when Keohane, following up after a D'Mani Mellor shot being saved by Dewhurst, sent his shot over the bar, and Dale also came close when Ebanks-Landell hit the bar from an East corner.

Talking after the game, Rochdale manager Jim McNulty said he thought the Rochdale performance was "outstanding".