Kairo Mitchell’s seventh-minute strike, expertly crafted by Tobi Adebayo-Rowling, proved decisive as Rochdale secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over a resilient Braintree Town at the Crown Oil Arena. While Rochdale enjoyed the lion’s share of possession, they were ultimately made to work for their three points by a determined Braintree side.
The visitors’ attempts to disrupt Rochdale’s flow were evident early on, with James Vennings receiving a yellow card for a foul in the fifth minute. However, this physical approach proved futile just two minutes later. Adebayo-Rowling delivered a pinpoint pass that found Mitchell in space, and the striker clinically dispatched the ball to give Rochdale the lead. Despite their dominance and the creation of several promising openings, Rochdale were unable to extend their advantage before the break, with Braintree’s defence holding firm and occasionally threatening on the counter-attack.
The second half saw a flurry of substitutions as both sides looked to alter the course of the match. Rochdale introduced Ian Henderson, Finlay Armstrong, Leon Ayinde, and Liam Hogan, while Braintree brought on Inih Effiong, Kyrell Lisbie, Chay Cooper, and Paris Lock. The changes injected renewed energy into the contest, but clear-cut chances remained elusive. As the clock ticked down, Braintree, spurred on by the need for an equaliser, pushed further forward, but the Rochdale defence stood resolute. The increasing intensity of the closing stages was reflected in late yellow cards for Marley Marshall-Miranda and Kyron Gordon.
Despite Braintree’s late pressure, Rochdale held on to secure a valuable victory, moving up to fourth in the National League table with 23 points. Braintree Town, meanwhile, remain in 20th place with 10 points. This fixture marked the first league meeting between the two sides in three seasons.