FA Cup

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FA Cup | Fourth Round

Jan 26, 2015 at 8pm UK

Rochdale
1-4
Stoke Stoke City

Bennett (78')

FT(HT: 0-1)

Krkic (4'), Ireland (52'), Moses (61'), Walters (93')

Preview: Rochdale vs. Stoke City

By Danielle Joynson, Staff Reporter | 23 January 2015

Sports Mole looks ahead to Monday night's FA Cup fourth-round tie between League One's Rochdale and Premier League side Stoke City.

League One Rochdale will face Premier League opposition in the form of Stoke City in the FA Cup on Monday night, but the snowy weather conditions have been their main priority in recent days.

The club called on supporters to help shovel the snow away from the pitch to ensure that the surface is playable when Mark Hughes brings his team to Spotland stadium on Monday evening.

Keith Hill's side reached the fourth round of the competition by causing a shock against Championship side Nottingham Forest with a 1-0 triumph, while Stoke secured a 3-1 win over Wrexham.

In the league, the visiting side have lost two of their last six games and have struggled slightly for goals having hit five across those fixtures, while the hosts have found the back of the net 13 times in their last six league matches.

This season, the FA Cup is the only chance of silverware for Stoke, who are currently eight points adrift of a European spot in the Premier League table, so Hughes could opt for a relatively strong team.

The Potters will head to the match on Monday refreshed having spent this week in Dubai to escape the winter chill, but Rochdale have not been able to visit sunnier climes.

The club are currently fifth in the League One table, but due to the 10-point gap between themselves and fourth-placed Preston North End, Hill's team will try for an upset to keep their FA Cup hopes alive.

Jack Butland could be handed a rare start in goal for the away trip, while Peter Crouch could return to the starting lineup, with Bojan also providing an attacking threat.

For Rochdale, Peter Vincenti, Matt Done and Ian Henderson could start up front.

Rochdale:

Form in FA Cup: DWDWW
Form in all competitions: DLLWWW

Possible starting lineup: Lillis; Rafferty, Eastham, Lancashire, Tanser; Dawson, Bennett, Camps; Vincenti, Done, Henderson

Stoke City:

Form in FA Cup: W
Form in all competitions: WWDWLW

Possible starting lineup: Butland; Bardsley, Shawcross, Wollscheid, Wilson; Cameron, Whelanl; Arnautovic, Bojan, Adam; Crouch

Sports Mole says: 0-2