BRFC v Rochdale Match Thread (FA Cup R1)

We have a nasty habit of not winning when most think we should. Rovers, ending winless streaks since 1883 as the tag line of a poster on the other place. I would love us to have a decent run and even get the possibility of a game v a top club. It’s been a very long time since we got anywhere close to this. The Kingswood shop was still open when i queued for the Chelsea game and not even for me but for a friend. I’d like to think that our manager would want to do as well as we can and not give up. 

Practically zero updates between this and gaschat.

Trying to sort out the Aircon in my room in Bangkok which is more exciting than the non match thread's.

1-0 FT

Stats: BRFC 1 Rochdale 0 - 59% - 41% - Shots 8-6 - On Target 4-3 - Corners 6-2 - Fouls 3-9 - Yellows 1-2 - Referee: Will Finnie - Attendance: 4,679

Rovers progressed to Round Two of the Emirates FA Cup following a 1-0 victory over Rochdale courtesy of Scott Sinclair's first goal for the Gas.

Rovers made two changes to their starting line-up after last week's 4-2 loss to Derby, with Scott Sinclair and James Connolly coming in for Luca Hoole and the cup-tied Josh Coburn.

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The first real chance of the tie fell to Aaron Collins. The Rovers forward cut inside following a lovely ball from Sam Finley and looked to give O'Donnell the eyes before dragging his shot back across the goal. The Rochdale 'keeper was able to gather following Aaron's effort.

Finley was pulling the strings in midfield early on. The midfielder played a perfectly weighted ball to Scott Sinclair who looked to take on his man. The Rovers no.7 opted to pick out Collins in the middle of the box instead of taking on the shot, with the latter pulling his effort wide of the target.

Abraham Odoh did well to beat Lewis Gordon and force a lowball across the Rovers penalty area which would have caused alarm for the Gas had it not been for Bobby Thomas' intervention to clear the danger.

Sinclair burst into the area just before the interval and was persistent in getting a shot away at goal which O'Donnell was able to gather.

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Five minutes into the second half, Bobby Thomas struggled to clear the ball, which Henderson capitalised on. The Rochdale forward stole the ball off of the Rovers centre-half and looked to place his shot into the far corner of Belshaw's goal. The Rochdale forward got his angles all wrong and saw his effort roll harmlessly past the post and safely behind.

Rochdale had another chance to open the scoring only moments later. Devante Rodney was played in behind the Rovers defence and it took a strong hand from James Belshaw to prevent the visitors from taking the lead.

Tenacious play from Sam Finley presented Rovers with a chance. After winning the ball back in the far corner of the pitch, the Rovers midfielder picked out Luke McCormick who got his head up and picked out Aaron Collins whose shot was deflected behind for a corner as the Gas upped the ante.

The breakthrough came just past the hour mark. Substitute Harvey Saunders chased down what seemed to be a lost cause and was able to win a corner. The corner was taken short and the cross was flicked on towards the back post where Scott Sinclair was on hand to tap home his first-ever Rovers goal.

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Good play again from Saunders presented Collins with a chance at goal. The Rochdale players were quickly out to block the Welshman's shot following Saunders' cross.

Rochdale pushed for a late leveller to force the tie into a replay but Rovers held firm and are in the hat for the second-round draw.

Next up for Rovers is a return to League One action when we face Fleetwood Town at The Mem on Saturday, 12th November (3pm).

ROVERS: Belshaw, Gibbons, Thomas, Connolly, Gordon, Rossiter, Finley (c), Evans, McCormick, Sinclair, Collins.

Substitutes: Jaakkola, Hoole, Clarke, Kilgour, Saunders, Westbrooke, Whelan.

ROCHDALE: O'Donnell, Ebanks-Landell, Kelly, Ball, Rodney, Odoh, Keohane, Graham, Diagouraga, John, Henderson.

Substitutes: Kelly, Seriki, McNulty, Brierley, Nelson, Sinclair, Tulloch, Malley, Kelly.

Just got back ...

*Hic*

What a lovely day.
I'm thinking with less of a crowd, probably it's filled mainly with the loyal fans...? Seen some faces and chatted with a few more. From WSM to Lawrence Weston to Rochdale, the pilgrimage to the Mem on fa cup day is still special to me.
A welcome break from league.

Massive respect to our friends from the Cemetery. A genuinely fine bunch, and massive respect for traveling down (in a rail strike) and adding support to their well organised outfit. I particularly like the loaded question "what do you think of JAB?" .....bla bla bla.....well I think he's a Scouse tw@t! Haha!
I've stayed up in and around Rochdale, out of the trilogy of Buryrip and Oldham I think I would have been a Rochdale fan had I stayed and there was no Gas.

Onto match proceedings.
I thought we could easily have been 3-0 down in first half, and they missed a further one or two 1 on 1s second half, while we made huff and puff 1 goal , could have been 2 or 3.
First time I've seen an almost own goal that hit our own post !?
I really like their strong, composed number6 and trickery of 11.... Rochdale played some good stuff and I would have thought felt aggrieved not to have troubled the score sheet at least once, especially with Henderson looking to get just one more to be their top ever goalscorer! ...?
Well I guess he won't break his record v us...

My m o m Scotty Sinc....do do do, we got a Bristol Pele
What a delight to watch.
You can see he's been coached to high level.
Doesn't appear to have lost pace, his first touch is graceful, control sumptuous and took his goal well because he could have had a hat trick by instinctively finding space in the box.
I loved his contribution, and to be a local hero just put the cherry on the top.

Aaza had quiet by his standards game.

Great to see Saunders back, for me the catalyst in changing the game.

Still don't get Gibbons. Poor game for me, kept giving ball away, caught a couple of times.

BT liability. Played some hospital balls and I thought struggled to mark and keep tabs on Henderson.

Belly joint m o m for his saves that kept us in it, with first half double save that whistle went to stop the move but he still kept the ball out if net with sublime stops.

Finley everywhere, as expected, great captaincy.

Nice to see dependable Whelan....not in defence!

So all in all, we didn't really get out of second gear and turned out a regulatory performance to do just enough to get through to next round.
I really hope it's worth it, because the dream of 3rd round big draw becomes a bit closer....but knowing our luck, who knows what the draw will bring.

Lastly, for any stattos out there, has there ever been a player that's scored their first goal 18 years after debut?
Hmmmmmm.....🤔