Rochdale easily defeat defensive City

Lincoln took the lead against the run of play against Rochdale and subsequently sat on that lead, paying the ultimate price as the visitors showed just how poor City are defensively. All three of Rochdale's goals saw the scorer unmarked and now sees the Imps just three points above the relegation zone.

The game kicked off but was stopped for nearly two minutes early on as Watts and O'Grady collided heads. When they were both up, it was Rochdale who were the team with the momentum and they were dominating the play but failing to really cause any trouble to Burch. City wasted one or two corners in rare attacks, but it was a Rochdale corner that changed the game. The corner fell to Lichaj and he ran up pitch before playing Herd through, the young midfielder calmly placed it into the net for 1-0 to City, the first time a City player had scored at Sincil Bank from open play since a 1-0 win over Aldershot.

It had come against the run of play and the dominance of Rochdale soon continued as the Imps barely got into the Dale half. Dagnall hit the top of the net with a looping shot, but it didn't take long for Rochdale to gain the equaliser their dominance of the game deserved, Chris O'Grady smashing in from twelve yards with not a single Imps defender anywhere near him.

Rochdale could now smell blood and continued to run the match and Tom Kennedy had a free kick deflected out for a corner, this was cleared but Burch was forced to conceded another as Thompson headed goalwards when unmarked, Burch tipping it over. The corner was played in and Craig Dawson took advantage of the non-existent marking and headed in just on the verge of half time.

John-Lewis came on for Clarke at half time. The second half was much the same with Jason Kennedy hitting a shot wide, but it wasn't long before it was 3-1 as Rochdale won a free kick on the edge of the box, it was played quickly and Joe Thompson slotted home when he was unmarked at the back post. Oakes came on for Clarke and it wasn't long before Kerr made way for Aaron Brown, a decision that brought mass chants of "You don't know what you're doing!"

Hughton was booked for a foul in the 69^th minute and various Imps also joined the book throughout the remainder of the half. The only other chance for either side saw O'Grady hit the bar from 25 yards, a strike that saw many in Sincil Bank applaud.