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Rochdale vs Oxford City

Vanarama National League

The Crown Oil Arena | Saturday 9th March, 15:00

Referee: Garreth Rhodes    Assistants: Niall Felton & Jason Roberts   Fourth Official: Declan Brown

RECENT FORM

Oxford City -  L D L L L

City boss Ross Jenkins has said that he wants his side to get back to enjoying their football as they enter the last nine games of their season.

When speaking to www.oxforcityfc.co.uk earlier in the week, Jenkins said that the pressure has always been off throughout the season. However, perhaps that is clearer now more than ever.

Defeats to Eastleigh, Gateshead & Aldershot have given the Hoops a monumental task, but the team aren't giving up yet!

City's last win on the 27th January (vs Ebbsfleet) seems a world away, but you never know when your luck is about to turn.

Rochdale - L D W L L

Despite the looming relegation zone, the job Jim McNulty is doing at Rochdale shouldn't be underestimated.

The Dale manager has had to register himself as a player this season due to a shortage of players, and financial difficulties behind the scenes haven't helped.

However, despite being down to bare bones this season, Rochdale have navigated themselves through their tumultuous season.

Ian Henderson (quite rightly regarded as a club legend at Spotland) leads the scoring charts alongside Kairo Mitchell with eleven goals.

Also, the lively Tyrese Sinclair isn't far behind the duo with ten goals to his name.

Ethan Ebanks-Landell adds both experience and quality to their backline, and the summer addition of Adam Clayton gives this Rochdale squad more than enough quality to kick on in their last few matches of the 23/24 season.

ONE TO WATCH - Ian Henderson

Ian is a forward who joined Dale on a free transfer in July 2022 after being released by Salford City.

The move saw ‘Hendo’ return to the Crown Oil Arena two years after he left the club when his contract wasn’t renewed as the Covid-19 pandemic took hold.

Ian had scored 126 goals for Dale at that that time and he has since added the extra goals he needed to overhaul Reg Jenkins as the club’s all-time leading goalscorer.

He has also played around 390 times in Rochdale colours, putting him in second place behind Gary Jones in the club’s all-time appearances list.

Initially with Norwich, Henderson made almost 80 first team appearances for The Canaries, before joining Northampton in July 2007 following a six-month loan spell at Rotherham.

He remained at Sixfields Stadium for 18 months and then played for Luton and in Turkish football, prior to signing for Colchester in January 2010.

Ian hit 11 goals for The U’s in the 2010/11 campaign, including home and away winners against Dale, and then scored again at the Crown Oil Arena for Colchester in October 2011.

All told he netted 26 times in 130 outings for United, but left the Essex club early in 2013 after manager Joe Dunne oversaw a shake-up of his squad.

Brought to Rochdale on a short-term deal by Keith Hill, Hendo immediately made a big impression and signed an extended contract at the Crown Oil Arena during the summer.

He was one of the most consistent performers in Dale’s 2013/14 promotion campaign, missing only one game and scoring 11 goals, including several ‘Goal of the Season’ contenders.

Ian bettered this in League One in 2014/15 with 22 goals as Dale enjoyed their highest-ever league finish.

He continued to reach double figures in every full season he has been with the club and has now written himself into Rochdale folklore with goalscoring achievements that may never be beaten.

LAST TIME OUT

City's first ever home match in the Vanarama National League ended in defeat.

Ian Henderson's second-half strike edged a tight-contest for the Dale.

THE MANAGER - Jimmy McNulty

Jimmy McNulty took the reigns at Rochdale last season as caretaker boss, but he couldn't save them from the drop.

However, the Rochdale board have stuck with the fan's favourite, and he's doing a stellar job.

As alluded to before, McNulty has had one of the trickiest jobs in football, but he has managed to steady the ship amongst murmurs of administration and takeovers. With a shortage of players, he's even registered himself as a player this season, in case he's needed as a stand-in.

As a player, McNulty made just shy of 200 appearances for Rochdale after making the move from local rivals Bury.

He played Championship football under former Rochdale boss Keith Hill at Barnsley, before leaving Oakwell to help Bury to promotion in 2014/15. The defender started his career with Wrexham, but didn't play league football before he joined Macclesfield Town in July 2006.

He moved to Stockport in January 2008 and was part of the County team that won promotion from League Two, after beating Rochdale at Wembley in the Play-Off Final.

HOW TO FOLLOW

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LIVE COMMENTARY ON BBC SOUNDS

This match will have LIVE commentary on BBC Sounds curtesy of BBC Radio Oxford. Simply tune in to BBC Radio Oxford on the BBC Sounds app, or head to the non-league commentary page HERE.

INTERNATIONAL STREAMING ON NATIONAL LEAGUE TV:

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