At the Crown Oil Arena, Rochdale and AFC Fylde played out a goalless draw in a match that offered little to change either club’s fortunes as the National League season draws to a close. The encounter, marked by tactical adjustments and a number of cautions, failed to produce a decisive goal.
The first half was fragmented, punctuated by frequent interventions from referee Niall Smith. AFC Fylde’s Harry Davis received a yellow card in the 11th minute for a foul, and Rochdale’s Tobi Adebayo-Rowling followed suit seven minutes later, also for a foul. Despite these early cautions, neither side managed to establish control, with genuine scoring opportunities scarce.
The second half saw a series of substitutions as both managers sought to invigorate their attacking options. Rochdale manager Jimmy McNulty introduced Ian Henderson in the 61st minute, replacing Kairo Mitchell, with the hope that the experienced striker could breach the Fylde defence. Kevin Phillips, in charge of AFC Fylde, responded with Gavin Massey replacing Joe Riley, followed shortly by a double substitution, bringing on Adam Long for Chris Stokes and Charlie Jolley for Ashley Boatswain. Rochdale then brought on Tarryn Allarakhia for Adebayo-Rowling in the 70th minute.
Rochdale made a further change in the 78th minute, with Leon Ayinde replacing Corey Edwards. AFC Fylde then introduced Danny Ormerod for Nick Haughton in the 83rd minute. The game remained a midfield contest, with neither team able to maintain consistent pressure. Late yellow cards were shown to AFC Fylde’s Charlie Jolley in the 87th minute and Rochdale’s Harvey Gilmour in added time, reflecting the growing frustration as the match drew to a close.
Ultimately, the match concluded in a stalemate. Rochdale, who began the match in 5th position, will be disappointed not to have exploited their home advantage to bolster their play-off aspirations. AFC Fylde, already confirmed for relegation, showed resilience. The draw moves Rochdale to 68 points.