Match Report: Rochdale 3-0 Altrincham, 11 March, 2025

Rochdale moved past Altrincham and into the play-off places with an emphatic 3-0 victory over Phil Parkinson’s side. 

Two goals in a matter of minutes and a third from top marksman Kairo Mitchell off the bench, in a second half that saw all the goalmouth action at the Crown Oil Arena. 

It was a cagey affair in the opening stages, with neither side creating too many chances early on. 

Jay Bird was the first to fire an effort goalward when he headed wide following a looping cross from Tarryn Allarakhia on the left hand side. 

It was Bird again who attempted to flick on Allarakhia’s low ball into the middle just over 2o minutes in, as his effort was parried wide and out for a corner. 

The Robins saw plenty of possession in the opening half an hour, as they looked to craft a well worked scoring opportunity, but they were unable to test Sam Waller in the hosts goal. 

The hosts came forward once more when Ryan East rose highest to meet Tobi Adebayo-Rowling’s looping cross before forcing a brilliant close range save from Rob Lainton. 

Alex Newby then had the most promising opportunity of the first half when he found himself 1-on-1 with Waller following a looping ball over the top, but he was unable to find the back of the net as Waller closed the angle, moments before the interval.

Dale came close to opening the scoring just after the break, when Harvey Gilmour’s effort was blocked before rebounding to McBride who laid it back across goal to Bird who’s off-balance effort went flying over the bar. 

Jake Bickerstaff fired a tame effort from close range after he was forced to take it wide  following a well placed long ball forward on the break from Jake Cooper. 

The deadlock was then broken in the 64 minute when Allarakhia broke down the left hand side before firing a ball across the box to Aidan Barlow who slid in at the back post to seal a devastating counter attack for Jim McNulty’s side. 

Mere moments later the lead was doubled when Bird burst down the right hand side before slotting calmly past Lainton. The game completely turned on it's head in a matter of minutes, following two lethal counter attacks. 

Justin Amaluzor came excruciatingly close to halving the deficit when he nicked the ball off Sam Beckwith just outside the area before driving into the box and striking an effort across goal, whistling it just wide of the bottom left corner. 

Substitute Kairo Mitchell sealed the victory for his side with just under ten minutes to go as he was set away following Waller’s long ball over the top, the number nine then calmly lofted the ball over Lainton in the Robin’s goal to claim his 14th goal of the season.

A comfortable victory in the end for Dale, as they claimed a second victory over Phil Parkinson’s side in just over a week. 

Victory for the hosts in a clash that could prove pivotal in the race for play-off qualification come the end of the season.