Crewe Alex: Pre-match stats for Crewe's League Two clash at Rochdale

By ggriffiths

PREVIOUS MEETING

League Two – December 26, 2009

CREWE ALEX 2

(Westwood 71, Tootle 77)

ROCHDALE 2

(Dawson 53, Higginbotham 74)

CREWE'S powerful first-half attacking display put the League Two leaders' unbeaten record under pressure.

But Dale still managed to squeeze ahead when Craig Dawson punished some slack marking at a corner shortly after the re-start.

Ashley Westwood pivoted to send a super finish beyond Manchester United loan youngster Tom Heaton for the equaliser, only for Kallum Higginbotham to let rip with a top-corner finish from 25 yards.

Young left-back Matt Tootle, though, deservedly grabbed Crewe a share of the points with a close-range finish after some great work from Clayton Donaldson.

Crewe Alex: Phillips, Brayford, Tootle, O'Donnell, Mitchell-King, Murphy, Westwood, Walton, Grant (Moore, 80),Donaldson, Zola. Subs: Schumacher, Jones, Legzdins, Miller, Worley, Shelley.

Rochdale: Heaton, Thomas Kennedy, Stanton, Flynn, Dawson, Taylor (Jones, 84), Jason Kennedy, Thompson (Higginbotham, 51), Atkinson, O'Grady, Dagnall. Subs: Toner, McArdle, Glover, Taberner, Hogan.

Attendance: 5,563.

FORM GUIDE

Crewe Alex: LDWLD

Rochdale: WDWDL

WHO WE'D LIKE TO SIGN

Take your pick from teenage centre-half Craig Dawson, who has been a revelation at the back since signing from non-league Radcliffe Borough, or powerful front duo Chris O'Grady and Chris Dagnall.

WHO TO BOO

Blackburn loan keeper Frank Fielding, in the hope he produces a performance as shaky as Darlington's Nick Liversedge recently did at Gresty Road.

MAN IN THE MIDDLE

Staffs-based Steve Rushton has never taken charge of a game involving Alex.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

Crewe Alex: Phillips, Brayford, Tootle, O'Donnell, Worley, Murphy, Westwood, Walton, Grant, Miller, Zola.

Rochdale: Fielding, Wiseman, Tom Kennedy, Stanton, Dawson, Haworth, Taylor, Jason Kennedy, Atkinson, Dagnall, O'Grady.

PREDICTION

ROCHDALE'S pre-Christmas juggernaut has slowed down recently, and they were beaten at promotion rivals Bury on Monday night. But they are still powerful opponents who should have enough in their locker to register a closely-fought 2-1 win.