Crewe Alexandra 0 - 3 Rochdale

Crewe Alexandra 0 - 3 Rochdale

Rochdale safely progressed to the second round of the Football League Trophy after comfortably dispatching of Crewe Alexandra at Gresty Road. Matt Done opened the scoring three minutes before the interval with a powerful header with Peter Vincenti heading home from a corner just after the hour mark. Calvin Andrew completed the scoring when he opened his Dale account with a simple finish into an open goal after a mistake by home keeper Scott Shearer.

Dale manager Keith Hill made three changes from the side that lost at the weekend. Jack O’Connell started after his loan move from Blackburn Rovers was confirmed yesterday meaning Scott Tanser shifted over to the left back position. Stephen Dawson was given a start in midfield whilst Shamir Fenelon made his full debut up front after his loan move from Brighton. There was a proud moment for Rochdale youngster Jamie Allen as he was given the captain's armband. The product of the Dale youth academy, Allen has been at the club since he was nine-years-old.

In front of a small crowd Dale took the game to Crewe and had the better of the first half chances.

Vincenti was denied by a brave block on the line by Dugdale after being picked out by Allen’s freekick.

Home stopper Scott Shearer made a wonderful save from Stephen Dawson when played through. Some neat football from Dale by Vincenti saw Dawson running through one-on-one with Shearer but the former Rotherham man made a fine stop.

Matt Done scored a hat-trick at this ground just two weeks ago and he netted again this evening just before the break. Dawson’s diagonal ball was turned back into the danger area by Rafferty with Done rising the highest to head home from close range.

Crewe fans were looking for a response from their players and they started the second half well.

Oliver Turton forced Conrad Logan to tip over the bar whilst Steve Davis’ side went even closer on the hour mark.

Vadaine Oliver’s neat back heal gave Anthony Grant the opportunity to shoot but his effort came back off the post; Billy Waters blazing over the rebound when he should have done better.

That miss was to prove crucial as moments later Dale were 2-0 up. Jamie Allen’s right wing corner was perfect for Vincenti who powered his header into the top corner.

The game was wrapped up in the 89th minute when Calvin Andrew netted his first Dale goal. A simple back-pass to Shearer was miskicked by the stopper straight to Andrew who from 20 yards out stroked the ball home, sealing Dale’s passage through to the second round.

Attendance: 1,529 (101 from Rochdale)

Rochdale: C Logan, Rafferty, Eastham, O’Connell, Tanser, Allen (c), Hery (Bennett 82), Vincenti, Done (Andrew 70), Dawson, Fenelon (Camps 51)
Subs: (not used) Diba, Rose

Crewe: Shearer, Tootle (c), Guthrie, Dugdale, Atkinson (Audel 46), Turton, Oliver (Saunders 87), Grant, Waters, Nolan, Inman (Cooper 71)
Subs: (not used) Guthrie, Molyneux

Referee: Mr S Duncan
Assistant Referees: Mr M Amphlett & Ms A Fearns
Fourth Official: Mr M Howes