Doncaster Rovers vs Rochdale Predictions

• Only two League 1 teams have conceded more travelling goals than Rochdale this season.
• Three or more goals have been scored in 80% of Rochdale’s away games in League 1 this season.
• Doncaster are in the bottom six for shots on target conceded at home. Rochdale are in the bottom six for shots on target conceded away from home.

Donny closing in

Consistency may not have been their thing of late, though a lack of back-to-back wins hasn’t stopped Doncaster from moving to within three points of the play-off places. Having recorded a pleasing win away against Tranmere in the week, Donny will be looking to take another step in the right direction.

At Keepmoat, Doncaster have done well of late, winning three of their last four. Their most recent home win, a 3-1 victory over strugglers Southend bodes well ahead of this match. Rochdale are a side that has struggled to keep teams at bay on the road, so the fact that Donny have recently scored with relative ease against one of League 1’s lesser teams is positive, as is the fact that they’ve scored seven in their last three, two of which have been against bottom-half teams.

Away-day woes for Dale

Rochdale made a timely return to winning ways at the weekend, as they got the better of Shrewsbury by a goal to nil at Spotland. That victory should’ve lifted morale in the Dale camp, though a quick glance at their recent away form may have the opposite effect.

Rochdale have lost four of their last five on the road. The hope would’ve been that their win over Accrington back at the start of January sparked improvement, though Dale have lost each of following two away matches.

Scoring goals hasn’t often been a problem for Brian Barry-Murphy’s men, who’ve netted a respectable 19 travelling goals, but keeping them out has been beyond them. Rochdale have shipped a worrying total of 28 goals on the road this season. Only the current bottom two have conceded more.

Goals, goals, goals

The goals have been flowing for Doncaster of late, while Rochdale can hardly stay away from high-scoring games on the road. Punters can profit from Saturday’s clash by siding with ‘Over 2.5 Goals’. In addition to Rochdale being involved in Over 2.5 games 80% of the time on the road, the pair have seen three or more go in in six of their last eight combined. The fact that Doncaster rank in the bottom six when it comes to shots on target conceded at home and that Rochdale rank in the bottom six when it comes to shots on target conceded away lends itself to the selection too.

‘Correct Score’ punters can try a 2-1 win for the hosts, who’ve scored exactly twice on six occasions at home this season. They’ve conceded once six times too. Each of Rochdale’s last two away games have ended in a 2-1 defeats, while they’ve scored exactly once in six of their away games this term.