Rochdale secured a convincing 3-0 victory away to Hartlepool United at the Suit Direct Stadium, inflicting a third consecutive defeat on the home side. An early substitution saw Rochdale’s Harvey Gilmour replaced by Jake Burger in the 10th minute, suggesting an early tactical adjustment from the visitors. Hartlepool’s Nathan Sheron received a yellow card in the 36th minute, a sign of the home side’s growing frustration.
Just before half-time, Rochdale broke the deadlock. A flowing move culminated in Connor McBride finishing from a Kairo Mitchell assist, sending the travelling Rochdale supporters into celebration as they headed into the break with a deserved 1-0 lead.
Hartlepool made a change at half-time, replacing the booked Sheron with Greg Sloggett. However, their fortunes failed to improve. Rochdale doubled their lead in the 58th minute, with Mitchell this time turning goalscorer, finishing a chance created by Tobi Adebayo-Rowling. Minutes later, Rochdale’s Jake Burger was shown a yellow card.
With their attack struggling to make an impact, Hartlepool responded with a triple substitution, bringing on fresh legs in the form of Luke Charman, Nicky Featherstone, and Gary Madine. Rochdale also made changes, notably introducing Ian Henderson, who would soon play a key role.
In the 79th minute, Rochdale put the game beyond Hartlepool’s reach. Devante Rodney scored their third, expertly assisted by the recently introduced Henderson. The goal effectively sealed the victory for Rochdale and extinguished any lingering hopes of a Hartlepool comeback. Both teams made further substitutions in the closing stages, but the result was never in doubt. The final whistle confirmed a resounding win for Rochdale, leaving Hartlepool to reflect on a disappointing performance.
Coming into the match, both sides had suffered two consecutive losses. Rochdale’s victory lifts them to 4th in the National League table, while Hartlepool drop to 18th. This fixture represents another chapter in a burgeoning rivalry, with the two teams having met four times in the last three seasons. Rochdale now hold a slight advantage in the head-to-head record with two wins, one draw, and one defeat.