PAST TIMES: Rochdale

On Tuesday, the Bees entertain Rochdale in a League Two match. It will be the fourth match between the two sides this season. In August, Rochdale won 3-1 at Spotland, adam Birchall scoring for Barnet. The two sides met in the 1^st round of the FA Cup and following a 1-1 draw at Underhill, with Ismail Yakubu scoring for Barnet, Rochdale won the replay 3-2 after extra time. Albert Adomah and John O'Flynn had put the Bees 2-0 up before Rochdale fought back in the second half. Barnet and Rochdale have met 25 times in the league and all the matches, up to this season, have been in the basement division of the football league. Barnet have the better of things with 11 wins to Rochdale's 9, with 5 matches having been drawn.

The first time the two clubs met was in 1991-92 at Spotland, following Barnet's promotion from the Conference. Rochdale won the game 1-0, but the Bees gained revenge in the return winning 3-0 with two goals from Gary Bull and one from Mark Carter.

The following season, 1992-93, Barnet were promoted and they did the double over Rochdale winning 2-0 at Underhill with goals from Paul Showler and Mark Carter and winning 1-0 at Spotland, Brian Stein scoring.

Following Barnet's immediate relegation back to the bottom tier of the league, the two sides met again in 1994-95.The game at Underhill was a classic with 4^th placed Rochdale arriving at Underhill as favourites to win the match in front of a poor crowd of just 1688. The Bees started the game in fine form and went ahead after 13 minutes. A Carl Hoddle through ball found Dougie Freedman who failed to control the ball, but Rochdale keeper, Clarke hit his clearance against Freedman who was left with an open goal and he volleyed home to put the Bees 1-0 up. Three minutes later, Hoddle found Freedman again and the former QPR player put Barnet 2-0 up.

After 34 minutes, Mark Cooper put Barnet 3-0 up, heading home a David McDonald cross at the far post, but Reid pulled a goal back from the penalty spot for Rochdale after Tim Alexander had brought down Whitehall. Barnet ended the first half on a high, going 4-1 up when Freedman completed his hat trick after being played through again by Hoddle.

Rochdale pulled the score back to 4-2 after 55 minutes through Williams, but a minute later Freedman got his 4^th goal to make the score 5-2, this time blasting home following a Lee Hodges pass. In the 89^th minute, Barnet made it 6-2 after a neat back heel from Freedman let in Shaun Gale to finish off the night in style for the Bees. In the return at Rochdale, the two sides drew 2-2. The Barnet side was, Phillips, McDonald, Gale, Hoddle, Alexander, Primus, Tomlinson (Haynes), Freedman, Hodges, Cooper (Scott), Wilson.

The following season, 1995-96, both clubs won their away fixture 4-0!!. In 1996-97, Barnet won 3-2 at home and drew 1-1 at Spotland. In 1997-98, Barnet won 3-1 at Underhill, while Rochdale won 2-1 at Spotland. In 1998-99, Rochdale won 1-0 at Underhill and there was a goalless draw at Rochdale. In 1999-2000, Ken Charlery scored the winner in a 1-0 win at Underhill and the return fixture ended in a 1-1 draw.

In 2000-01, Barnet ended the season being relegated back to the Conference. The two sides drew 0-0 at Spotland and then met at Underhill in April with Barnet desperately needing points to survive. Indeed, they needed three points to keep away from the bottom of the table. Barnet had only taken 5 points from their last 14 matches.

Barnet gave a fine performance and won 3-0 with two goals from Greg Heald and one from Mark Arber. Early on, Rochdale almost scored when Danny Naisbitt saved from Monington and Lee Flynn appeared to handle the ball on the line but no penalty was given.

On 16 minutes, Heald headed home after good work on the right by Sam Stockley and Danny Brown to put Barnet ahead and on 30 minutes, Mark Arber headed home a Darren Currie free kick. Naisbitt made to saves to stop Rochdale getting back in the match. Barnet had a penalty appeal turned down when Darren Currie was brought down in the penalty area.

On 57 minutes, Currie flicked a ball into the box for Greg Heald to score his second from eight yards and put the Bees 3-0 up. It looked as though it might set up the Bees for a late escape from relegation but they lost their last two matches and were relegated. The Barnet side that day was, Naisbitt, Stockley, Goodhind (Niven), Heald, Arber, Flynn, Doolan, Purser (Strevens), Brown (Toms), Currie, Richards.

The two clubs met again in 2005-06 following Barnet's return to the football league after winning the Nationwide Conference in 2005. In the game at Underhill, the two sides drew 1-1. Grant Holt headed Rochdale in front on 36 minutes, but Giuliano Grazioli equalised for the Bees three minutes from time after Rochdale keeper, Gilks fumbled a Hendon cross and Grazioli headed the loose ball home. In the return at Spotland, in April, Barnet needed points to avoid relegation back to the Conference and were grateful for a point in a 1-1 draw. Liam Hatch had an early goal disallowed before Chris Dagnall put Rochdale ahead on 23 minutes. Barnet equalised five minutes later when Ian Hendon scored a penalty after Griffiths had brought down Tresor Kandol in the penalty area.

The following season, 2006-07, Barnet did the double over Rochdale, winning 3-2 at Underhill, through a Tresor Kandol hat trick (See article on this site about this match).

In the return at Spotland, goals from Barry Cogan and Dean Sinclair gave Barnet a rare away win that season with a 2-0 win to complete the double over Rochdale.

Last season, the two sides met in September at Underhill and played out a dull goalless draw. In the return at Spotland, Rochdale won comfortably 3-0 on their way to the play-offs, in which they reached the final but lost to Stockport County.