Rochdale face a tough away test at Crewe Alexandra this Saturday in League Two. The match at Alexandra Stadium kicks off at 3pm as the Dale look to build on a steady start to the season.
Their most recent outing was a 1-1 draw away at Tranmere Rovers last weekend. Dajaune Brown scored the equaliser in the 57th minute, assisted by Charlie Tasker, to cancel out Tom Conlon's first-half opener for the hosts. That result extended Rochdale's recent form to two wins, two draws and one loss from their last five league games.
Crewe's recent form and threat
Crewe Alexandra present a significant challenge, currently positioned third in League Two. They arrive with strong home form, including a 3-1 victory over Bristol Rovers earlier this month. Their last match was a 1-0 away win at Swindon Town.
Match details and context
Rochdale's last starting eleven, deployed in a 4-1-4-1 shape against Tranmere, featured Ramming in goal behind a back four of Adebayo-Rowling, Flint, Wilson and Charlie Tasker. The midfield was anchored by Gilmour, with Hayes, Taylor, Adeeko and Middleton supporting striker Dajaune Brown. The team will need to be resilient to contain Crewe's attacking threats, which include the creative midfield trio of Tabiner, March and Gibson.
A win could see Rochdale close the gap on the automatic promotion places, with the team currently five points behind leaders Salford City. Their goal difference stands at minus one, having scored 11 and conceded 12 so far this campaign. For the latest league standings, visit our standings section.
The fixture is the next entry in a busy October for the Dale, who follow this trip with a home game the following weekend. Preparation will focus on tightening a defence that conceded five in an EFL Trophy loss to Huddersfield but has kept two clean sheets in the last five league outings.
