Football League 2; Saturday 23rd January 2010This was not a rout it was a well organised educational away day delivered by a highly competent Rochdale. You got the feeling that on the coach down the manager had asked for a three goal victory; unless Cheltenham misbehaved and were asking for a detention.
Rochdale let the class have the ball during most of the first half before they got the flip charts out and showed Cheltenham what they could have been doing. They must have been quite pleased with the home side who knocked the ball about a bit better than past school reports had indicated. Alsop did his job as a moderately competent target man. Townsend was a worthy captain and Richards worked hard but faltered whenever he entered the box. Cheltenham were indecisive and didn’t grab the chances they were offered.
Mesmerised by the day-glow Heaton, who over occupied the Rochdale goal, Hutton and Richards couldn’t help themselves from floating the ball into his fluorescent orange hands. More than a few scoring opportunities floundered because of Heaton’s magnetic effect. Most high balls landed firmly in his grasp and any other effort became ineffectual because of the perceptual confusion created by his kit. You got the impression he was twice his actual size.
After Cheltenham’s worthy efforts Rochdale thought it was time to start acquiring the three goal win they were instructed to secure. They switched-on in the last ten minutes of the first half. Lesson objective 1 was duly delivered; take throw-ins quickly and don’t allow the defense any time to get organized. O’Grady (one of the Co.Kerry O’Grady’s?) duly smacked in the first of a hat-trick.
Half time was not as depressing as some past breaks have been when Cheltenham looked certain to get a thrashing (even though the forcast had over predicted the temperature). In fact Rochdale could have been accused of being a bit casual. They made amends by getting quickly out of the trap and breezing in the second. You now knew the game was out of Cheltenham’s reach. Keeping it to two would be an achievement. The third duly came. It was easy and the Rochdale fans made us aware of it even though we do remember them when they were less perfumed.
Positive feedback: Cheltenham didn’t give up. Alsop, Hutton and Richards came off and on went Hammond, Bird and Hayles (who looked like boiling over but responded to the quite chat in the ref’s office). Townsend got a well deserved goal. Rochdale went up the other end and secured the agreed three goal advantage. Time for heads to drop? A couple of the young loan players looked that way but Cheltenham kept playing whilst Rochdale played around with them.
This was not so bad as to warrant leaving early with your hands in your pocket loudly talking about “a load of rubbish”. Most of the regulars around us did just that. It was pleasing to see that a few were willing to offer some appreciation. The important thing is to try and put the lesson to good effect against teams who are a match for us
Cheltenham Town: S Brown; D Pipe, A Gallinagh, M Townsend, D Andrew; J Labadie, J Low, M Thornhill, D Hutton (D Bird 57); J Richards (B Hayles 76), J Alsop (E Hammond 57). Subs not used: D Diallo. M Pook, W Puddy, T Lewis.
Rochdale: T Heaton; S Wiseman, N Stanton, C Dawson, T Kennedy; A Haworth (A Rundle 86), J Kennedy, J Taylor, J Thompson (K Higginbotham 58); O'Grady, Dagnall. Subs not used: K Arthur, G Jones, R McArdle, M Flynn.
Referee: G D Horwood. Attendance: 3,460.
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