The Silkmen travelled to Spotland today knowing a win would all but keep the Town up, but the Silkmen sadly left Spotland knowing they are still very much in a relegation dogfight after a disappointing 5-0 thrashing at the hands of a rampant Rochdale.

The tone of the game was set within 2mintues when Adam Rundle's shot was saved by Tommy Lee and the follow up was just wide. It was the home side who controlled the game from start to finish. But it could have been a whole lot different had good chances for Martin Bullock, Matty McNeil and Jordan Hadfield not been blocked in the same move.

It was the home side who took the lead on 20minutes via the penalty spot after a free kick from the left was headed straight at Dave Morley who looked to block with shoulder. But the ref had other ideas and awarded a spot kick for hand ball. It was left to Chris Dagnall to take and he hit it to the right of Tommy Lee. The keeper guessed right and managed to palm the ball onto post. Unfortunately the ball rebounded straight to feet of Dagnall who made no mistake this time. 1-0.

The lead up to Dale's opening goal

The Silkmen almost equalised immediately when a long ball was flicked on well by McNeil, into the path of John Murphy whose shot was tipped round the post by Rochdale keeper Matthew Gilks. The game switched from end to end, the next clear cut chance falling to Dale when a cross from the left found the head of an unmarked Joe Thompson. Thankfully his glancing header went wide.

The Silkmen then had a good 4 minute spell firstly when a free kick was headed back across goal by Carl Regan only for Gilks to claim unchallenged. Gilks was again called into action when John Miles, in a move similar to last week's against Stockport, saw his shot saved.

The home side then took full control of the game and doubled the lead in the 41st minute when a neat interchange of passes saw Dagnall released on the left from where he then ran into area and chip the ball neatly over the onrushing Lee 2-0. With half time only one minute away Chris Dagnall completed a first half hat-trick and effectively finished the game as a contest. The goal was not without controversy as the Silkmen felt the forward had fouled Rob Scott in the build up. The referee saw differently. 3-0.

The Silkmen were sent out early for the second half having made two substitutions with Matty McNeil and Ashan Holgate not returning from dressing room; in their places were Matthew Tipton and Alan Navarro. It was Navarro who almost made a great start to half as within seconds his shot was deflected wide. But then with their first attack of the half the home side made it four. After a long throw was not cleared by Morley the ball fell to Dagnall on the six yard line. His shot was well saved by Lee but the loose ball found a waiting unmarked Glenn Murray who could not miss. 4-0.

The Silkmen looked never really recovered, unable to rediscover any of the form on show at the Moss Rose the previous week. It was only a matter of time before Dale hit their fifth. When a great cross field ball from the right found Glenn Murray, the striker curled a superb shot into the corner of the net that Lee was able to get a hand to not enough to prevent it finding the back of the net. 5-0

Dagnall then went off to an standing ovation and with the game slowly petered out. The Silkmen had a good chance to at least score one when after some good control by Matthew Tipton his cross was met by Bullock whose volley was well over the bar. The home side had a chance to make it six when they broke the back line only but Kevin came to the rescue with a great tackle to quash the attack.

The Silkmen used their third and final sub with only 7 minutes left as Bullock went off for Isaiah Rankin, the striker from Grimsby almost scoring straight away when he turned his marker just inside the area but his shot was again saved by Gilks. Despite the crushing defeat the healthy away following got behind the team today and cheered them off at the end, perhaps mindful crucial visit of Bristol Rovers to the Moss Rose.

Today served as a painful reminder that nothing in football can be taken for granted and the players will no doubt be looking to bounce straight back this coming Tuesday.

Dean Bamford