Rochdale vs Grimsby Town Prediction & Preview - League Two
Rochdale have won both of their home games in this run and Grimsby Town have lost four of their last six, and the question Tuesday night has to answer is whether Rochdale's 2-3 defeat away at Crewe Alexandra tells you more than that home record does. It came three days before this one. Grimsby lost 0-2 at home to Northampton Town on the same afternoon, so both sides arrive off a beating.
Rochdale vs Grimsby Town: kick-off time, date and venue
Rochdale v Grimsby Town kicks off at 19:45 BST on Tuesday, 20 October 2026, a League Two fixture at Spotland Stadium - the Crown Oil Arena - in Rochdale, Greater Manchester.
- Fixture: Rochdale v Grimsby Town
- Competition: League Two
- Date: Tuesday, 20 October 2026
- Kick-off: 19:45 BST
- Venue: Spotland Stadium (Crown Oil Arena), Rochdale
Rochdale have been a different team at home
Ian Watson's side have taken 11 points from their last six, winning three, drawing two and losing one. Split it by venue and the pattern is stark: they won 2 of 2 at home and 1 of 4 away. The home pair were a 1-0 win over Swindon Town on 3 October and a 2-0 win over Oldham Athletic on 19 September. Tight, controlled, no goals conceded.
The travelling version is looser. A 1-1 draw at Tranmere Rovers, then three goals shipped at Crewe. Rochdale have kept three clean sheets in these six and conceded two or more in only 1 of 6, which makes the Crewe result the outlier rather than the trend.
Grimsby Town's run has gone flat
Six points from six, two wins and four defeats, and the two wins were the oldest matches on the list. Grimsby beat Bristol Rovers 2-0 on 12 September and Crawley Town 2-0 on 19 September. Since then: 1-2 at Newport County, 1-2 at home to Shrewsbury Town, 0-1 at Port Vale, 0-2 against Northampton.
Away from Blundell Park, David Artell's team have won 0 of 2. They also won only 2 of 4 at home, so there is no fortress to fall back on either.
What the goal numbers say about Rochdale vs Grimsby Town
Rochdale have scored eight and conceded five in these six. Grimsby have scored six and conceded seven. Grimsby have failed to score in 2 of 6 and conceded two or more in 3 of 6 - against a Rochdale side with three clean sheets behind them, that is the uncomfortable overlap.
Both sides scored in 3 of Rochdale's last six and 2 of Grimsby's. Neither has been involved in many high-scoring games: three or more goals in the match in 2 of 6 for each.
Team news
Grimsby defender Edon Pruti was sent off in the 60th minute against Northampton and carried off with what the club described as a serious-looking leg injury, while Doug Tharme was forced off early in the second half and replaced by Joe Foulkes, per the Grimsby Town match report; Reece Staunton and Mark Shelton are also listed as out on Grimsby Town News, and Rochdale winger Jonny Smith is the one absence named on Rochdale FC News as of 18 October 2026.
Rochdale vs Grimsby Town prediction
Rochdale should beat Grimsby Town in this League Two fixture at Spotland on Tuesday, 20 October 2026, because the home side have won both of their last two home games without conceding and Grimsby have lost four of their last six. The Crewe defeat was Rochdale's only match in this run where they conceded two or more, and it was on the road. Grimsby's attack has produced six goals in six and gone blank twice, which is not the profile of a team about to break down a defence that has kept three clean sheets.
Our prediction: Rochdale 2-0 Grimsby Town
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