These 2 towns are less than 7 miles apart and the rivalry is pretty fierce, with Oldham definitely being the bigger of the 2 clubs as well as having been in the Premier League in it's inaugural season (oh how times have changed though!).
Rochdale is a funny little place, full of staunch local people off varying ethnic backgrounds, a cracking gothic building which is home to Rochdale Town Hall and some stunning high rise blocks of flats almost bang in the centre of town.
I arrived into Rochdale station via the local service from Wigan Wallgate just before noon. I had a list of 3 pubs I wanted to visit as they appeared in the Great British Beer guide so off I went in search of the Flying Horse Hotel, which was pub number 1. The Flying Horse is a large free house and hotel (as the name suggests) situated opposite the town hall. After a couple of pints in this very friendly and welcoming pub I left for the Regal Moon which is an old Art Deco Cinema that now houses the town's JD Wetherspoons.
As I left the Flying Horse I was informed by a local not to go into Yates's (2 doors down) as Oldham had just arrived! The police were out in force all riot geared up and with baton's drawn as Oldham's hooligan element filled the beer garden at the side of the pub, lovely array of Stone Island and Burberry as is the norm.
Yates's wasn't on my list anyway so I swerved it and went across to the Regal Moon. A huge & cavernous place as you would except from a old cinema and most of the clientele in here were from Oldham but were more of the normal fan type and were very well behaved. A swift pint and play on the quiz machine and I was off in search of my 3rd pub The Baum.
The Baum is situated on Toad Lane just at the back of the Rochdale Exchange shopping centre and couldn't have been any easier to find. A cracking pub that is attached to the Pioneer Museum, it was pretty packed when I arrived with a good mixture of people from families to ladies that lunch to football fans getting set up for the game.
The landlord phoned me a taxi that was promptly dispatched and I arrived at Spotland at 2.15 to collect my match ticket that I pre-booked as this game was billed as all ticket. Rochdale have their own pub in the large car park area, The Ratcliffe Arms, so after collecting my ticket and buying a programme I popped in for a pint. A mix of fans from both clubs in here all getting ready for the game and watching the last few minutes of the Everton v Sunderland cup tie.
By 2.45 it was time to enter the ground, this was my 289th ground one that has avoided me over the years due to Rochdale and Charlton not being in the same division until recently. It's an attractive 4 sided "stadium" with the only terracing being the Sandy Lane end behind one of the goals. This was the end I was in as well as being the home end. Oldham had the whole of the stand to my left and they 3/4 filled it, all of their 'herberts where situated at the opposite end to me and spent most of the game in competition with the Rochdale fans in the stand behind the goal at that end.
The game started off superbly for the 'Dale as Michael Symes put them 1 up with less than 3 minutes gone. The next 25 minutes were played out at a decent pace as Oldham gradually got themselves back into the match before the evergreen Shefki Kuqi fired one hell of a goal on 21 minutes from a full 40 odd yards that left the home keeping trailing and yes I think he did mean it. A round of applause from most of the home end ensured as the 'latics fans went wild...if you have not seen the goal then please you tube it, it's a stunner.
The rest of the half was played out and both teams went into the break level, and off I went for my 2nd steak pie of the afternoon.
The 'Dale started the 2nd half pretty much like they started the first and were 2-1 up with a few minutes that man Symes again putting the finish to a good 'Dale move down the left. This goal should of spurred Oldham on for a equaliser but even though they had the bulk of the play they couldn't force another goal before Symes was tripped / pushed in the area on 70 minutes and the ref pointed to the pot (it looked a bit soft to be honest). Symes got up, dusted himself down and put the penalty away for he's and 'Dale's third, by now the home team were coasting.
Ruben Reid pulled one back for the 'Latics on 74 minutes, then a few chances came and went until the 4th official held up the board for an additional 6 minutes of injury time. A cracking save from Lucas in the 'Dale goal kept the score at 3-2 and then a ruled out goal for offside right on the stroke of the final whistle was enough to send the home fans home with a huge grin on their faces having taken a giant step towards League 1 survival as well as beating their local rivals. A cracking match, with atmosphere to match.
I left ground in the pouring rain and made my way swiftly back to the station to catch the 17.30 back to Manchester Victoria before my connecting train to Wigan North Western. After a quick change at Victoria I arrived at WNW just after 18.50, just enough time to grab some chips and gravy & a few cans before the 19.12 arrived to bring me back to London.
A great day in Lancashire was had, a few good pints of local ales, a couple of great pubs, a great game of football and another new ground added to my ever growing list.
Til the next time.
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