This league season has been grim for Rochdale up to now, while Sutton United have enjoyed many victories. Will the away side claim victory again at Crown Oil Arena?
It’s busy days for these teams as both were in action only a few days ago. There’s no rest for the wicked, or in this case; no rest for Rochdale and Sutton United.
18-11-15 (wins/draws/losses). These are the numbers for Sutton United when playing away games on grass, which is not the surface they have on their own home stadium (which has artifical turf). Their goal statistics from those 44 matches are 51-47 (scored/conceded).
Rochdale form and stats
Rochdale's struggle is real here at Crown Oil Arena with only 5 points collected from 6 League Two games. The win-draw-lost numbers are ugly: 1-2-3. Two defeats in a row at home hurts for Rochdale, their manager R. Stockdale and the supporters. There are certain expectations for improvement.
Rochdale drew their last game, 0-0 away at Salford City (placed 15th). Eoghan O'Connell was "man of the match" with a rating of 7.92 out of 10. The defender O'Connell hit two key passes and won 8 of 10 duels.
Preceding that game was the away draw at Swindon Town that finished 2-2.This is expected to be a close game, with Rochdale perhaps considered small favourites due to their home advantage. Looking back at earlier matches similar to this one (expected to be close with Rochdale as a small favourite), we find six games. Rochdale has won two of these, drawn three and lost one.
Rochdale has huge difficulties finding the net and are scoring on average only once per two home matches in the league: 3 goals from 6 games. Rochdale are not conceding a lot of goals here at Crown Oil Arena in the league, averaging less than one per game. The total is 5 from 6 matches.
Sutton United form and stats
Playing away, Sutton United have won 2 games, drawn 2 and suffered 2 defeats in the League Two this season. Winning streaks in away matches are not that common, but Sutton are close to a proper streak after winning their two previous away games.
Sutton United might have something to prove in this game as they lost at home in their previous match. Swindon Town proved too strong as Sutton slumped to a 1-2 defeat in front of their own fans at The Borough Sports Ground. Harry Beautyman got a match rating of 7.45 in that game, top player of the team. Beautyman scored one goal.
Before that one, a nice away victory 1-0 at Crawley Town.So, this is expected to be a close game, an even contest. Looking at earlier matches with Sutton playing away and similar expectations, we found eleven relevant matches. Results were three Sutton United wins, three draws and five defeats.
There might be some complaints about the fixture list from the Sutton United manager M. Gray as the team has another away game coming up in only three days, this time against Colchester United.
The visitors have scored 5 goals from 6 away games in the league, an average of less than one per game. They concede less than a goal on average per away game (5 so far).
Head 2 Head
Top Goalscorers
  A. Newby 2 goals | J. Beesley 2 goals |  D. Cashman 2 goals |
Rochdale missing players
Sutton United missing players
| Rochdale | Sutton United | ||||||
| Total | Home | vs | Statistics | Stat | vs | Away | Total |
| 13 | 6 | 2 | Played | P | 1 | 6 | 12 |
| 3 | 1 | 1 | Won | W | 0 | 2 | 6 |
| 5 | 2 | 0 | Drew | D | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| 5 | 3 | 1 | Lost | L | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| 14 | 3 | 2 | Scored | S | 1 | 5 | 18 |
| 16 | 5 | 2 | Conceded | C | 1 | 5 | 13 |
| 85% | 83% | 100% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 100% | 83% | 92% |
| 62% | 33% | 50% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 100% | 67% | 75% |
| 38% | 17% | 50% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 0% | 17% | 50% |
| 31% | 0% | 0% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 0% | 0% | 17% |
| 15% | 0% | 0% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 0% | 0% | 8% |
| 54% | 33% | 50% | BTTS | BTTS | 100% | 33% | 50% |
| 23% | 33% | 50% | Clean Sheets | C S | 0% | 50% | 42% |
| 38% | 50% | 0% | Failed to Score | F T | 0% | 33% | 17% |
| 5.7 | 6.7 | 6.5 | Corners for (avg) | C F | 2 | 5.8 | 5.7 |
| 5.5 | 4.8 | 5.5 | Corners against (avg) | C A | 11 | 5.3 | 5.5 |
| 0.9 | 0.8 | 1.5 | Yellow cards (avg) | Y C | 1 | 1.2 | 1.4 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | Red cards | R C | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 12.7 | 12.8 | 14.5 | Shots (avg) | S ( | 18 | 14.2 | 14.3 |
| 2.5 | 1.7 | 1.5 | Shots on Target (avg) | S O | 6 | 4.5 | 4.8 |
| 42% | 30% | 67% | Goal Efficiency | G E | 17% | 19% | 31% |
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Forest Green Rovers | 13 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 23 | 11 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 14 | 3 | 12 | 27 |
| 2 | Harrogate Town | 13 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 25 | 16 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 16 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 23 |
| 3 | Swindon Town | 13 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 18 | 11 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 5 | 7 | 23 |
| 4 | Port Vale | 13 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 20 | 14 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 22 |
| 5 | Tranmere Rovers | 13 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 11 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 22 |
| 6 | Northampton Town | 13 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 15 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 21 |
| 7 | Exeter City | 13 | 4 | 8 | 1 | 21 | 13 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 10 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 11 | 8 | 8 | 20 |
| 8 | Sutton United | 12 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 18 | 13 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 13 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 20 |
| 9 | Hartlepool United | 13 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 14 | 13 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 1 | 20 |
| 10 | Leyton Orient | 13 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 20 | 12 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 19 |
| 11 | Barrow | 13 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 17 | 16 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 10 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 17 |
| 12 | Bradford City | 13 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 17 | 16 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 13 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 17 |
| 13 | Newport County | 13 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 17 | 17 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 0 | 17 |
| 14 | Crawley Town | 13 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 15 | 19 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 10 | -4 | 17 |
| 15 | Salford City | 13 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 14 | 12 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 2 | 16 |
| 16 | Walsall | 13 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 16 | 17 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 9 | -1 | 16 |
| 17 | Bristol Rovers | 13 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 15 | 20 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 12 | -5 | 15 |
| 18 | Rochdale | 13 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 14 | 16 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 11 | 11 | -2 | 14 |
| 19 | Colchester United | 12 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 12 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 6 | -3 | 14 |
| 20 | Stevenage | 13 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 11 | 21 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 13 | -10 | 13 |
| 21 | Mansfield Town | 13 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 18 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 7 | -7 | 11 |
| 22 | Oldham Athletic | 13 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 19 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 8 | -9 | 11 |
| 23 | Carlisle United | 13 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 21 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 14 | -10 | 11 |
| 24 | Scunthorpe United | 13 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 26 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 11 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 15 | -18 | 8 |