Hayden White nets Walsall winner in victory over Rochdale

Hayden White’s first goal for Walsall downed struggling Rochdale to earn the Saddlers a fourth straight Sky Bet League Two home win.

The centre-half, who joined from Mansfield in September 2020, struck 10 minutes before half-time in a game delayed by 15 minutes due to traffic problems.

Dale came closest to breaking the deadlock in a dull first half-hour, but Tyrese Sinclair’s goalbound half-volley from a Devante Rodney cross was deflected over by the covering White.

White then made the crucial impact at the other end on 35 minutes, slamming home his first goal in almost five years from close range after Tom Knowles’ long throw caused chaos in the Dale box.

Sinclair curled inches over from 18 yards early in the second half for Rochdale, while Knowles steered just wide from the edge of the area at the other end after being teed up by Liam Gordon.

Dale stepped up the pressure, but Liam Kelly sliced wide before James Ball spurned their best chance of rescuing a point in the 90th minute, prodding wide when unmarked in the box.