Pools started with the 4-4-1-1/4-2-3-1 that has been Phillips' preference in recent weeks, with Agyemang replacing Duffus on the left side. Rochdale set up in a 4-4-2 with ex-Poolie Devante Rodney playing as a slightly withdrawn striker.
At 11 v 11, Pools didn't press the opposition back four when in possession with Dieseruvwe and Cooke holding their usual positions in front of Crawford and Featherstone. This meant that Rochdale struggled to play through their two centre midfielders, and for the first 25 minutes the home side were reduced to hopeful long balls upfield.
To disrupt the 4v2 in the centre of the pitch, East moved deeper to receive the ball between his centre backs and the hosts were finally able to work the ball into dangerous areas through the middle of the pitch. Rodney began to receive the ball to feet in in the inside left channel, creating an overload on Pools' left side. Up until the red card, it was Rochdale's best spell in the game.
At 11 v 10, Pools were able to recycle possession easily, with Crawford usually the spare player in midfield. Then, on 75 minutes, Rochdale brought on Tyrese Sinclair for left-back Finlay Armstrong, moving Jimmy Keohane back and going for broke with three players (Sinclair, Rodney, Hayes) now directly up against Pools' back four. The visitors couldn't get out - the effect of Rochdale's front 3 was to close the option of a spare man in midfield, and possession was no longer comfortable. For example, when Waterfall received the ball from the goalkeeper he was forced to play square to Stephenson, for whom the pass into midfield was closed off by Sinclair, with Gilmour up against Featherstone behind him. With no options available he could only knock the ball hopefully down the touchline. Rochdale dragged themselves back into the game by forcing Pools to be braver on the ball and pouncing on errors, and a couple of good chances came in injury time before Rodney's final act.
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