Match preview: York City v Rochdale (From York Press)

Match preview: York City v Rochdale

10:27am Tuesday 12th March 2013 in Sport By Dave Flett, Sports reporter

ROCHDALE will tackle York City at Bootham Crescent tonight having yet to win an away game in 2013.

The Lancashire side have not tasted victory during their last five matches on the road, taking two points from a possible 15 and netting just twice during that sequence.

Having shipped 37 goals on their League Two travels Dale will also arrive in North Yorkshire with the leakiest visiting defence in the whole division. In fact, only Huddersfield (42) have a worse goal-against column in away matches from the top four leagues of the English game.

A 4-1 home win over Wycombe at the weekend did, however, move the Spotland club eight points clear of the relegation zone in 16th place ahead of their clash against the Minstermen.

Since his return to the club in January, following the dismissal of former Accrington Stanley chief John Coleman as manager, Keith Hill has overseen two victories, three draws and three defeats.

Hill has no injury concerns this evening although George Donnelly will be pushing for a starting place, having netted twice from the bench against Wycombe.

Former Tranmere and Shrewsbury forward Terry Gornell is set to make way for him, as he did at the weekend.

Captain Peter Cavanagh is also back in contention after returning to the bench for the Wycombe game having been sidelined for the previous four matches by a calf problem.

On-loan Scunthorpe striker Bobby Grant, who has netted 15 times this season including two for The Iron in a 5-5 Capital One Cup draw against Derby, will be looking to get back on the goal trail against City having hit the target just once in his last eight matches.

Rochdale (probable): Lillis, Bennett, Edwards, Cansdell-Sherriff, McIntyre, Tutte, Thompson, Kennedy, Donnelly, Grant, Henderson.

Match facts

Rochdale have made 50 previous Football League visits – more than any other club – and in the series have won 16 times and drawn 11.

City’s biggest home win over their Lancashire rivals was 6-0 in March 1930 when the clubs met for the first time at York and in 1933/34 a 6-1 victory was recorded with Maurice Dando hitting a hat-trick.

In 1937/38, Rochdale won 5-0 at Bootham Crescent and the following campaign triumphed 7-0 to inflict City’s heaviest home defeat.

Rochdale’s last visit was on September 6, 2003, when they won 2-1. Aron Wilford was the scorer and City’s line-up was: Ovendale, Downes (Cooper), Wise, Brass, Hope, Merris, Ward (Brackstone), Dunning, Bullock, Nogan, George (Wilford).

Players to have represented both clubs include goalkeepers Gordon Morritt and Graeme Crawford along with Billy Rudd, Laurie Calloway, Joe Ashworth, Shaun Reid, Chris Jones and Jimmy Seal. On the managerial front, Terry Dolan provides the link.

It happened on March 12

1949: Barrow were beaten 2-0 at Bootham Crescent in Division Three North, with Tom Hindle and George Ivey on target, watched by 8,853.

1955: City won 1-0 at Notts County to reach the semi-finals of the FA Cup. Arthur Bottom was the marksman and the line-up that memorable day was: Forgan, Phillips, Howe, Brown, Stewart, Spence, Hughes, Bottom, Wilkinson, Storey, Fenton. The crowd at Meadow Lane was 47,301.

1965: City went to the top of the Fourth Division following a 3-2 home win over Southport. The crowd was 8,534 and on the scoresheet were Paul Aimson and Derek Weddle (2).

1966: A Bootham Crescent attendance of 19,420 saw Third Division (League One) leaders Hull City beat bottom placed City 2-1. Billy Rudd scored the consolation goal.

1986: A 4-0 home victory against Bristol Rovers with Tony Canham (2), Keith Walwyn and Marco Gabbiadini on target. The crowd for this Third Division (League One) fixture of 2,857 was the smallest of the season.

1994: City were in the top half of the Second Division (League One) following a 2-0 home win over Fulham.The scorers were Jon McCarthy and Paul Barnes (penalty) watched by a crowd of 3,572.

2011: Michael Rankine netted in a 1-0 home win over Eastbourne in the Blue Square Premier. The crowd was 2,357.

Compiled by David Batters