It was a busy evening at Stade de Gigg with just over 6500 in attendance and just as many policemen picking up some welcome overtime.
The game got underway and from the off it was destined to be a scrappy affair with not much quality on show from these two quality sides. Of the Bury rejects, Flitcroft got a little bit of abuse, Kennedy recieved the usual booing throughout the game whenever he touched the ball but Chris O'Grady wasn't targetted for much vitriol.
Bury had the best chance of the first half when Dawson fired a snaphot right at Fielding in the dale goal. Morrell should have had a free kick on the edge of the area and the away side had a solitary chance which was comfortably held by Brown.
In the second half, it seemed like the game was opening up a little, and that this was suiting Rochdale more than Bury. Dagnall (i think) put a close range free header into the arms of Brown and then former Shakers loanee O'Grady missed the sitter of all sitters. David Buchanan had tried to shepherd the ball out for a goal kick under pressure from Obadeyi, one of Rochdale's new loan signings when he fell and ended up on his arse leaving the ball stationary on the touchline. Obadeyi took the ball on and put it on a platter for O'Grady right in front of goal. Quite how he stuck it wide is still a mystery to me.
Then with 12 minutes left, Morrell poked the ball through the dale defence to Lowe. It was one of those chances he doesn't miss, and he didn't miss, firing the ball past Fielding much to the delight of the Bury faithful.
The remainder of the game saw Bury comfortably hold on to their lead. Rochdale, for all their four goal victories of late, didn't seem to know how to chase a game in that kind of atmosphere so it wasn't too much of a struggle from then on.
So its three points which puts us in third again. Notts and Rotherham both have three games in hand on us and our next game is away at Bradford which could be difficult but you can't complain at being five points better off after 27 games than we were last season.
Up the Shakers. |
