Our prediction for this League 2 match:
Rochdale play host to Harrogate at their Spotland Stadium on day 32 of the current League Two campaign. The Dale have been slipping down the standings week by week, and their League Two status will be in danger soon. The hosts are desperate to give fans something to cheer about, but this will be anything but a walk in the park for Robbie Stockdale’s troops.
Harrogate, on the other hand, experienced all sorts of problems at the back in a 3-1 loss to Crawley Town. The Sulphurites have slim chances of securing a top-seven finish, and seeing that Rochdale are desperate to put an end to their dreadful winless run, we are tempted to put our money on the home side. In the first half of the season the Sulphurites defeated the Dale 3-2, meaning that the hosts are hungry for revenge.
Highlighted Player (Eoghan O\'Connell):
Eoghan O’Connell is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a center back for Rochdale. O'Connell, who hails from the village of Douglas, was born on the 13th of August, 1995. In his early days, the defender used to play for two renowned Irish academies in College Corinthians and Avondale United before switching to the Celtic Academy in 2011.
He made his professional debut on the 29th of March, 2014, featuring in Celtic's 1-1 draw against Ross Country in the Scottish Premiership. His time at the Hoops included sporadic first-team appearances and loan spells with teams Oldham Athletic, Cork City, and Walsall. However, he won Celtic's Academy Player of the Year 2014 award and was included in the reputed Irish publication Journal.ie's " 10 most promising young Irish Footballers" article. His search for regular playing time brought O'Connell to Bury, whom he joined in June 2017.
He remained at the club for two seasons before signing for his current club Rochdale on a two-year contract starting on the 4th of July, 2019. Additionally, the 24-year-old has capped for the Republic of Ireland's under-19 and the under-21 team. He made his under-21 debut on the 2nd of September, 2017, in a 2-0 UEFA European Under-21 Qualifier win over Slovenia.
Highlighted Team (Harrogate):
Harrogate Town is an English club that welcomes their rivals at Wetherby Road. Opened on August 28, 1920, the venue can hold up to 5,000 spectators (500 seated). The club was founded back in 1914, with the Sulphurties facing Horsforth in their first competitive match on August 30, 1919.
Harrogate Town footballers wear yellow and black shirts when playing at home, while pink is the dominant colour of their away jersey. The Sulphurties did well to win the Whitworth Cup in the 1919/20 season, while the club’s biggest success in the FA Cup came in the 2012/13 when they made it to the second round.
Simon Weaver is one of the most notable footballers who played for Harrogate Town in the past. The team’s manager for the 2020/21 season played for several English clubs, and he has been very successful in the coaching job as well.