Rochdale secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Gateshead at the Crown Oil Arena in the English National League. The match was marked by a lack of clear-cut opportunities in the first half, with both teams struggling to create scoring chances. As the game progressed, Rochdale began to gain the upper hand, and their persistence paid off in the 82nd minute. This win marks Rochdale’s first victory over Gateshead in their last three head-to-head matches, with the previous two encounters ending in a draw and a loss for Rochdale.
The decisive moment came when substitute Tarryn Allarakhia, who had been introduced into the game just four minutes earlier, scored the winning goal. This strike proved to be the difference-maker, as Rochdale held on to claim all three points. The win moves Rochdale up to 9th place in the league standings, with 49 points from 31 matches, while Gateshead remains in 4th place, with 60 points from 35 matches.
Prior to the goal, the match had seen a few notable events. In the 57th minute, Gateshead’s Jack Roles was booked for a foul, receiving a yellow card from referee Dale Baines. This caution did not seem to affect the flow of the game significantly, as both teams continued to push for the opening goal. The substitutions played a crucial role in the match, with Rochdale making a series of changes to try and break the deadlock. The introduction of Aidan Barlow for Leon Ayinde at halftime was followed by further substitutions, including the introduction of Jay Bird for Kairo Mitchell in the 67th minute. Gateshead also made changes, with Jean Belehouan replacing Robbie Tinkler in the 61st minute, and Max Sheaf coming on for the cautioned Jack Roles in the 72nd minute.
The win for Rochdale will be seen as a significant boost, given their recent form. The team had been without a win in their last six matches, and this victory will provide a much-needed confidence boost. For Gateshead, the defeat will be a setback, but they will look to bounce back from this loss and continue their push for a strong finish in the league. With this result, Rochdale narrows the gap in their head-to-head record against Gateshead, and the competitive nature of the English National League is once again highlighted, where teams are closely matched and every point counts.