Wealdstonevs.Rochdale

Meanwhile, the home side head into Saturday's contest sitting in 22nd place, albeit currently on their best run of form all season.

Match preview

When winning just one of their opening 13 matches in all competitions this season, Wealdstone would have been anticipating a long season at this level.

Instead, the Stones have responded with five victories from eight games, including a notable 1-0 triumph away at Grimsby Town in the FA Cup.

Most importantly for Matthew Taylor, his players are starting to deliver in the National League with seven points having been collected from three games.

Victories over Braintree Town and Aldershot Town have catapulted Wealdstone back into contention to move outside of the relegation zone, there now also being just three points between them and 17th place.

Although they remain with one of the worst home records in the division, Wealdstone have picked up seven points from their last six games at Grosvenor Vale.

As far as Rochdale are concerned, picking up just two wins from their last five league matches has left them eight points adrift of top spot.

Jimmy McNulty can remain satisfied that the club are performing far better than in 2023-24, when they finished 11th, but the strong work done in August and September has been undone to a certain degree.

On a positive note, 2-1 victories over each of Halifax Town and Sutton United - each at home - have kept The Dale within four points of third place.

Away from Spotland, 13 points have been collected from eight games, albeit with two defeats being posted in their last four such encounters.

Wealdstone National League form:

D

L

L

W

D

W

Wealdstone form (all competitions):

W

L

W

D

W

W

Rochdale National League form:

W

D

L

W

L

W

Rochdale form (all competitions):

W

L

W

L

L

W

Team News

Second-choice goalkeeper Jacob Adams is in line to start for Wealdstone after Sam Howes needed to be withdrawn after 21 minutes against Aldershot.

Whether further changes are made are dependent on if Taylor wishes to stick with a back three or switch to a four, the latter being more familiar.

Elliot Thorpe is an alternative to return in a central-midfield role.

As for Rochdale, Devante Rodney could be recalled on the flank having netted the decisive goal versus Sutton.

Ian Henderson may also replace Matthew Dennis in attack in what may prove to be the only two alterations made by McNulty

Wealdstone possible starting lineup:

Adams; Woodman, Mariappa, Cook; Boldewijn, Wells-Morrison, Kretzschmar, Cesay, Georgiou; Reid, Ashford

Rochdale possible starting lineup:

McNicholas; Adebayo-Rowling, Hogan, Gordon, Buyabu; Beckwith, Henry, East; Rodney, Henderson, Allarakhia

We say: Wealdstone 1-2 Rochdale

This has all the makings of being one of the games of the weekend in this division, Wealdstone fancying their chances of causing an upset. However, we feel that the visitors will do just enough to earn another win, one that could take them as high as fourth.

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