Match Report
On paper the standings were lopsided — Portsmouth 8th with 72 points, Rochdale 21st with 47, 25 apart. On the form table Rochdale stood 7th over the last five rounds, despite being 21st overall. Scoring rates set the scale: Portsmouth 1.41 scored and 1.11 conceded per game, Rochdale 1.33 and 1.7, with the league averaging 1.31.
Across 10 recorded meetings, Portsmouth have 7 wins to Rochdale's 1, with 2 draws, at 3 goals per meeting. History points to goals: 70% of the meetings had three or more.
The match was played at Fratton Park in Portsmouth (capacity 20,688). Portsmouth led 2-0 at the break, and the second half added 1 goal for the 2-1 full-time score.