Rochdale secured a vital three points with a 2-1 away victory over Fleetwood Town on Saturday, ending a run of two league games without a win. A quickfire double from Dajaune Brown and Aden Flint inside the first quarter-hour proved decisive at Highbury Stadium.
Brown opened the scoring after eight minutes, finishing an assist from Glenn Middleton. The striker then turned provider six minutes later, setting up defender Aden Flint to double the lead. Fleetwood pulled one back on the half-hour mark through a long-range effort from Mark Helm, assisted by Aaron Loupalo-Bi.
The home side pushed for an equaliser after the restart, with Lewis McCann and Kayden Hughes going close. Rochdale's task was complicated when Olutobi Adebayo-Rowling received a second yellow card in the 69th minute, reducing them to ten men. Goalkeeper Sam Waller made key saves to deny Ched Evans and McCann, helping his side see out five minutes of added time. The win moves Rochdale up to 17th place in the standings, with seven points from their opening seven games.
Match statistics
Despite having less possession, Rochdale were more clinical. They registered six shots on target from 12 attempts, while Fleetwood managed five on target from 21 efforts. The visitors also made three saves to the hosts' four. This clinical edge in front of goal was a key factor in the victory, providing a positive platform ahead of their next match, a home fixture against Swindon Town on October 3.
Manager Jim Bentley made several changes to manage the game, introducing Cian Hayes and Edward Francis on 64 minutes before further fresh legs late on. The manager will be reviewing the injuries list as he prepares his squad for the upcoming match. The result provides a significant boost, lifting the team clear of the early-season relegation zone and building momentum after a mixed start to the campaign.
