AFC WIMBLEDON v ROCHDALE -- 20/21 LEAGUE ONE - PLOUGH LANE 13th FEBRUARY 2021 - GAME OFF

Saturday 13th February 2021 3:00pm

*UPDATE* - AFC Wimbledon's home match versus Rochdale has been postponed due to a frozen pitch at Plough Lane. Despite covers being put down to protect the pitch, the playing surface was deemed unplayable after a morning pitch inspection.

AFC Wimbledon will 'host' their next home game back in Wimbledon against Rochdale at the New Plough Lane Stadium. Still no prospect of any fans being allowed in to watch during the latest Government national lockdown. On the plus side though many people (including myself) have received at least one dose of the various covid-19 vaccines via the NHS. Maybe this is our route back to some sort of 'normality'. Buoyed by the 3-2 win last weekend against Wigan the Dons had a free week to train, recover and plan our next home game, while Rochdale had a midweek home game against Milton Keynes where they lost 1-4. A win for the Dons would leapfrog Rochdale and with a gap beginning to appear above them we don't really want to risk falling further down. Wimbledon still led by interim manager Mark Robinson also recently signed former Spurs youth team product Shayon Harrison who was last seen playing in the Dutch second division with Almere, we still rely heavily on Joe Pigott in attack with his fifteen goals this season. 

Onto today's game itself this Saturday in League One and our opponents today, Rochdale are like us down at the wrong end of the table. A key win against them would be appreciated, and if so would also make a change to conquer two sides at the bottom end since have a habit of being rolling over. Rochdale are led by Irishman Brian Barry-Murphy an ex player for some seasons was previously on the books with Bury FC as a defensive midfielder. Rochdale currently occupy 18th place in the League One table after their 1-4 loss midweek, with 26 points they are one point and one place above the Dons going into this encounter. 

His side have now won just once at home in 18 matches in all competitions this term. Rochdale's win against Bristol Rovers on 30th January was their only success in their past 10 games yet they remain outside of the drop zone. Reliant on forward Mathew Lund for the bulk of their goals, if we can keep him quiet maybe we in for a change of fortunes. 

Most Recent League Games
Wigan Athletic 2 - 3 AFC Wimbledon

Rochdale 1 - 4 Franchise FC

Head to Head
Our head to head form against Rochdale is quite positive, having met on twelve occasions before today's match we have won six, drawn four and lost only twice. Those two losses came in our early years back in the football league, so we are unbeaten against them since 2014. Another win tonight would be useful in our quest to stay in League One.

Starting XI's [To Be Confirmed]

AFC WIMBLEDON 

Win Odds - 11/10 [William Hill]

Walker (Gk),  McLoughlin,  Nightingale (c),  Csoka,  Guinness-Walker,  Oksanen,  Woodyard,  Rudoni,  Chislett,  Pigott,  Longman

SUBS - Tzanev (Gk), Alexander,  Hartigan,  Robinson,  Procter,  Kalambayi,  Reilly

ROCHDALE
Win Odds - 5/2 [William Hill]
Bazunu (Gk),  McLaughlin,  Osho,  O'Connell (c),  Roberts,  Dooley,  Morley,  Rathbone,  Baah,  Humphrys,  Lund  

SUBS - McNulty,  Newby,  Keohane,  Done,  Grant,  Shaughnessy,  Vale

Selected Bets On This Match;

• Over 1.5 goals in 1st half @15/8.
• Penalty Taken @11/4.
• Over 3.5 goals in match @5/2.

⚽Half Time Score   P - P    

First Half Comments;

Match called off on Saturday morning 10:20am. Frozen pitch.

⚽Full Time Score   P - P    

Match Summary;
. 

My Man of the Match - TBA.

Attendance - None for now, maybe once we exit another lockdown and out of Tier 4 maybe sometime in 2021.

Today's Referee - Today's match officials for this weekend will be Mr Benjamin Speedie from Merseyside. A recent addition to the football league list he did take charge of our 2-4 defeat to Bristol Rovers back in December and averages about three bookings a game, the average not helped by the TEN cards he dished out in the FA Cup game between Morecambe and Solihull Moors. Will have the assistance of Daniel Cook and Stephen Finch on the touchlines while the fourth official duties are being handled by Garry Maskell.

Dons next league match:
Saturday 20th February vs Peterborough United (Away)
League One kick off 3:00pm