Match Pack: Rochdale AFC (H)

Sutton close out March with the visit of league leaders Rochdale AFC, this Non-League Day.

Read below for everything you need to know ahead of the match.

Match Info

• Fixture: Sutton United vs Rochdale AFC
• Competition: Enterprise National League
• Venue: VBS Community Stadium
• Date: Saturday, 28th March; 3pm KO (1pm Turnstiles)
• Strip: Amber home kit
• Television: National League TV

Officials

• Referee: Ben Atkinson. In his third season as an EFL referee, he was in charge of our FA Cup tie at home to Birmingham City last season. He refereed the National League South play-off final between Oxford City and St Albans in 2023 having taken charge of a National League North semi final the previous season.
• Assistant Referees: Ryan Whitaker (red/yellow); Joe Wright (yellow)
• Fourth Official: James Hurst

How to Follow

Video

A live stream on National League TV – via DAZN – will be available worldwide by purchasing a match pass here.

A range of passes are available for the 2025/26 season, with pricing as follows:

• Annual – Pay Up Front: £99.99/year

Pay for a year upfront to get the best value deal.

• Annual – Pay Monthly: £12.99/month

Pay for a year upfront to get the best value deal.

• Monthly Flex: £19.99/month

Renews monthly. Cancel anytime with 30 days’ notice.

Audio

Supporters will be able to listen to all the action, with a Mixlr audio commentary being available and will be posted on social media accounts before kick-off.

Social Media

You can also follow the game through our social media channels below, with full text coverage during the fixture.

X: @suttonunited

Facebook: @suttonunited

Instagram: @suttonunited

In Person

Tickets are available to purchase here.

For enquiries, supporters can contact the club over the phone at 02086444440 or via email at tickets@suttonunited.net.

Ticket Prices

General Admission:

Getting to the Ground

Stadium Address:

VBS Community Stadium

Gander Green Ln

Sutton

SM1 2EY

By Car

Travel along the M25, exiting at Junction 8. Then travel north on the A217 for about 15-20 minutes. Ignoring signs for Sutton itself, stay on the A217 to the traffic lights by the Gander Inn (on the left), turn right into Gander Green Lane. The Borough Sports Ground is about 200 yards up this road on the left hand side. If you reach West Sutton Station you have gone too far.

On matchdays, the club car park in Gander Green Lane is for parking permit holders only. Away fans should park in Gibson Road, the local municipal car-park. It takes no more than 15 minutes to walk from Gibson Road to the stadium. Click here for more information regarding parking, while a map of Gibson Road can be found here.

By Rail

It is recommended that visiting supporters use Sutton station, which is on the main lines out of Victoria and London Bridge and is at the top end of Sutton High Street, about 20 minutes’ walk from the ground. Two buses between Morden and Sutton stations run conveniently close to our stadium: route 413 bus goes down Gander Green Lane, and number 80 runs along Collingwood Road. The ground can then be reached by taking the path through Collingwood Rec.

West Sutton railway station is adjacent to the ground. It is served by Thameslink trains via Wimbledon or Sutton. Come out of West Sutton station and turn right into Gander Green Lane and the ground is about 100 yards further along. Away fans should walk past the main entrance and after about 70 yards turn right into Collingwood Recreation Ground, where the away turnstiles 5-8 are situated.

By Bus

The 413 service runs past the ground down Gander Green Lane. The bus leaves Sutton town centre from outside the main post office. The 80 route from Hackbridge to Belmont runs down Collingwood Road. The ground can be reached by taking the path through Collingwood Rec. Both routes also connect with the Northern Line at Morden.

London Buses are now cashless. Fares are a flat £1.75, and this includes multiple journeys within a one-hour period of the first “touch in” with a contactless payment card or Oyster card.

Accessibility

All accessible entrances will be open as detailed in the stadium map below:

We currently have spaces for ten wheelchair users (seven home, three away) and we would ask anyone who needs to use this facility to book in advance (contactus@suttonunited.net). If any wheelchair user needs to park at our stadium, please let us know in advance and we will make arrangements to welcome you. We have accessible toilets at both ends of the ground and in the main stand. Ambulant supporters will need to climb a handful of steps as there are currently no lifts.

For more information, supporters can access the club’s FAQs, which can be found here.

Full Fan Guides for both home and away fans can also be accessed here.

Footballing activities will be available in the fanzone, including table football, as well as the bar and club shop being open.

Stat Attack

1 – Rochdale sit top of the league with more wins than any other team (30).

1 – Rochdale’s tally of 31 goals conceded is better than any other team.

2 – Only Ollie Pearce has scored more goals than Mani Dieseruvwe this season (24). It also makes up 31.17% of Rochdale’s entire tally (77).

3 – Only York City (105) and Boreham Wood (82) have scored more goals than Rochdale this season (77).

Head-To-Head

• Rochdale wins: 4
• Draws: 0
• Sutton wins: 3

Last Four Meetings: 

• Rochdale 1-0 Sutton – 26th August 2025 (National League)
• Sutton 1-0 Rochdale – 8th April 2025 (National League)
• Rochdale 2-1 Sutton – 9th November 2024 (National League)
• Rochdale 4-1 Sutton – 29th April 2023 (League Two)

Last Time We Met

Sutton went down to a third consecutive Enterprise National League defeat, and a fourth in four visits to the Crown Oil Arena, when a goal just after half time by Mani Dieseruwe, whose hat trick had beaten U’s at Hartlepool last season, proved sufficient to give Rochdale a fourth win out of five.

Sutton had done well to reach half time level, Rochdale having missed several first half opportunities, but Dieseruwe’s sneat flick from a Harvey Gilmour cross five minutes after the break saw them edge in front and despite a battling effort U’s were unable to rescue a draw, Ashley Nadesan squandering the best chance just before the end.

Player In Focus

Mani Dieseruvwe

Position: Forward

Age: 31

Appearances 25/26: 33

Goals Scored 25/26: 24

Assists 25/26: 6

Played for Both

Charlie Waller

MK Dons defender enjoyed a successful loan spell at Sutton during the first half of the 2024/25 season, and spent time at Rochdale earlier this season before joining his third National League club; Wealdstone where he currently resides.

A graduate of the MK academy, he has captained them at Under 18 level and made his senior debut as a substitute against Chelsea Under 21s in the EFL Trophy, scoring in his first full appearance against Northampton in the same competition later in the season.

Following loan spells at AFC Rushden and Diamonds, Billericay Town and Banbury, he arrived at the VBS Community Stadium at the start of August, the fourth loan spell of his short career so far, and featured 25 times in all competitions going from strength to strength at National League level, the highest level he has regularly played at so far, showing his superb versatility by filling in at left back, left-wing back and centre back.

He scored his first goal for the club on his debut against future club Wealdstone back in August with a wonderfully hit first time half volley that looped beyond goalkeeper Archie Matthews, and was later voted August Goal of the Month, and followed that display up with two Man of the Match displays against York City and Boston United as well as two Player of the Month nominations.

He was subsequently recalled by his parent club and appeared eight times for the Dons after departing Sutton. He since opted to depart once more in search of regular football, joining Rochdale in December, appearing three times before his move to Wealdstone, where he has so far turned out five times.