Oldham vs Rochdale Predictions

• Oldham have failed to score in two and kept two clean sheets in their last three league games.
• Rochdale have failed to score in two and kept two clean sheets in their last three league games.
• Both teams have not scored in the last three head-to-head meetings between the clubs.

Dour Lancashire derby expected

Two Lancashire neighbours with issues finding the back of the net meet on Saturday when rock bottom Oldham host sinking Rochdale in League Two.

When assessing the prospects of a both teams to score game, it is often more valuable in accounting for whether the teams in question can keep clean sheets over whether they have been finding the back of their opponents’ nets.

In this case, both Oldham and Rochdale – despite their struggles – appear to be relatively tight at the back. Latics fans have had to endure goalless draws at Barrow and Hartlepool recently and their own’ scoreless run was extended to 349 minutes in Tuesday’s 3-0 loss to Harrogate.

Dale defence may not be as bad as advertised

Rochdale have also managed to keep two clean sheets in their last three games – at home to Newport and Bradford, although their away record shows only two all season. Prior to shipping eight times in their last three road trips, they conceded only once in three away matches, so it may be possible for them to blank the bottom club here.

But still, it is the impotency of both teams in an attacking sense that offers the most convincing argument for at least one of them to fail to produce a goal. Oldham have scored six goals in their last seven league games – but five of those were in one crazy match against Forest Green.

Rochdale have found the net four times in their last six away games – hardly encouraging stats if we were to consider the opposing bet of both teams to score. A 1-0 Oldham win just appeals a bit more than any other option in correct score markets and it would replicate the result the Latics got in the away game last September.