Match Report | Cards defeated by dominant Dale

Rochdale 3-0 Woking
Vanarama National League
31st August 2024

Michael Doyle made four changes to the side victorious on Bank Holiday Monday, with Dion Kelly-Evans back from suspension replacing Jacob Jones, who was benched. Timi Odusina returned in place of Ben Wynter, with goalscorer Harry Beautyman replacing Jermaine Anderson. Deon Moore also started in place of Lewis Walker, as he joined the likes of Charley Kendall and Matt Ward on a strong Woking bench.

Dale themselves made four changes after a late victory at Yeovil last time out, but one player keeping his place was former Card Tarryn Allarakhia at wing-back. The hosts’ defensive record was a standout before this fixture, having conceded just twice in five games.

Rochdale kicked off towards the Sandy Lane End, and immediately dominated possession, with the Cards allowing them to keep the ball. This counted for something in the fifth minute, when good build up play saw Aaron Henry’s pinpoint low cross turned home by Kairo Mitchell, meaning just like Monday, the Cards would have to come from behind.

With Dale one up, they were still continuing to dominate the ball, and when Henry once again fired in a set piece, Mitchell could and maybe should have tapped in from a yard or two.

After a period of nothingness, a simple long ball, helped by a flick on from Mitchell saw Devante Rodney with the goal at his mercy on 38 minutes, but his dink past Jaaskelainen went agonisingly wide of the bottom corner.

Allarakhia ran down the wing, got lucky with a couple of deflections, but put a ball across goal which was somehow scooped over by the leg of Tunji Akinola, as Woking looked for half time.

In truth, Rochdale were excellent in the first half, exploiting the flanks well, but might have felt like 1-0 was a bit too precarious given the situation.

Half-time: Rochdale 1-0 Woking

Unchanged from the first half lineup, Woking kicked off the second half towards the Sandy Lane End. The first chance, however, fell to the hosts. After a bouncing ball wasn’t dealt with, Rodney fired wide with his left foot.

On 53 minutes, a double change for the Cards saw Kelly-Evans and Odusina off, super subs Kendall and Ward introduced in their places.

Almost immediately, Woking created their first chance as a Dale Gorman free kick was headed narrowly wide by Max Dyche. Rochdale hit back through the impressive Tobi Adebayo-Rowling, whose cross was narrowly headed wide by Mitchell.

A superb finish from Aaron Henry doubled Dale’s advantage on the hour mark, as he curled a fantastic strike into the top corner from just outside the penalty area.

Will Jaaskelainen needed to make a top save low down to his left to deny Rodney one-on-one with 72 minutes on the clock, before somehow Connor McBride couldn’t finish after slaloming his way through a ruck of defenders a minute later.

The icing was on the cake with 87 minutes gone, as Mitchell was stronger than Harries, turning his man before firing into the roof of the net from an angle. The least Dale deserved for their dominance.

An off day for the Cards, but take nothing away from their hosts, who were superb and could easily have scored more.


Woking: Jaaskelainen, Moss, Odusina (Ward 53’), Harries, Dyche (Anderson 68’), Kelly-Evans (Kendall 53’), Gorman, Akinola, Andrews, Beautyman, Moore (Walker 60’)

Subs: Webber, Jones, Wynter

Bookings: Dyche 32’

Rochdale:McNicholas, Gordon, East, Henry, Allarakhia (Armstrong 69’), Mitchell (Barlow 90+4'), Rodney (Burger 88’), Adebayo-Rowling (Alfa 90’), Ferguson, McBride (Henderson 76’), Beckwith

Subs: Kelly, Senior

Goals: Mitchell 5’, 87’, Henry 60’

Bookings: Mitchell 40’

Attendance: 2,315