Dale earn win by
ROCHDALE’S penultimate game of 2016 saw Keith Hill’s men climb to up the League One rankings into fourth place as the Spireites became the latest side to leave the Crown Oil Arena empty-handed.
An Ian Henderson brace, either side of a Calvin Andrew strike, wrapped up three points on Boxing Day as Dale registered their ninth successive home win in the league.
There was one change to the Dale line-up that had started the 3-2 win at Northampton 11 days earlier, with Joe Thompson succumbing to illness. His place on the right of Keith Hill’s front three was taken by Andrew, who had done so well in the role prior to his nine-game suspension.
Joe Rafferty’s near-post delivery and a volley over the top from Oliver Rathbone in the opening minute suggested Dale were determined not to be shut out as they were in the recent Checkatrade Trophy game against the same opponents.
The game was five minutes old by the time Chesterfield first touched the ball in Dale’s half of the field, and even then the home side nicked it off them and broke forward at pace, Andrew looking to pick out Henderson with a precise pass where a shot might have been the better option.
But Dale’s pressure continued to build and in the ninth minute Lloyd Allinson spilled a forward pass and then brought down Matt Lund to conced a penalty. Steven Davies, so deadly from the spot of late, stepped foward and fired low to the goalkeeper’s right, but Allinson guessed right and comfortably saved. There was a danger the penalty miss would take the wind out of Dale sails and wake the visitors up from their poor start – but such fears never really materialised.
The visitors’ first real opening of the day was of Dale’s own making.
In the 27th minute a mix up between Jim McNulty and Keith Keane – both left the ball to be cleared by the other – sent Gboly Ariyibi through on goal for a one on one with Logan.
However, the Spireites man was less than convincing with his attempted finish and Logan saved his team-mates blushes.
Henderson’s dinked cross was a miniscule too high for Davies to get his head to and it seemed Dale were destined to go in at the break rueing that penalty save.
But in the 45th minute came a spectacular breakthrough.
Keane’s rare foray forward deep into the Chesterfield half ended with a short pass to Rathbone on the edge of the area.
He in turn toe-poked a delivery to Henderson, lurking on the left-hand edge of the area. Without taking so much as a touch to steady himself, Henderson flighted a beautifully struck curling effort beyond the desperate dive of Allinson and into the far corner of the net.
A goal to the good at the break was a fair reflection of the contest up to that point – but Chesterfield briefly threatened to force their way back into the
‘It was a professional performance with some bits of magic in it. It was superb at times’
match at the start of the second period.
Ched Evans’ flicked a header off target at the start of the half before Dale wasted a golden opportunity to double their lead, Joe Bunney’s