Dale’s optimism
BRIAN Barry-Murphy’s new look Rochdale side were denied a second successive victory by a 92nd minute equaliser at the Crown Oil Arena on Saturday.
Conceding late goals always has a slightly deflating effect – but on this occasion it was slight, for the football served up for large parts of the game offered home spectators great hope for the season.
This would have been the first occasion many had witnessed first-hand BBM’s Dale in action.
Fotget the closing moths of last season, that was a case of securing safety by whatever means
necessary. The Dale manager has had time over the summer to implement his preferred style and it’s one with a keen emphasis on quick, accurate passing. On this evidence, supporters are going to be entertained by a side striving to play in an admirable manner.
And if there is room for improvement and growth, that is a source of optimism rather than frustration.
BBM made one change to the team which had started the season so impressively at Tranmere seven days previously, Ollie Rathbone’s injury keeping him out of the matchday squad. In his place came Aaron Morley, while new arrival Tyler Magloire was named among the substitutes.
Morley took his opportunity superbly. He was already home and hosed as man of the match before his 66th minute goal for Dale – which caried an element of good fortune about it – for demonstrating precision and penetration in his passing. The 19-year-old has the potential to really flourish in this system.
Morley may not be assured a starting place, what with Jimmy Ryan and Rathbone to come back into contention. But if he continues to play the way he did at the weekend, he’ll give the more established names a good run for their money when it comes to securing the shirt on a regular basis.
The visitors made a strong start, pegging Dale back and earning a succession of corners, all of which were dealt with comfortably by Robert Sanchez and his defence. The only time the keeper looked slightly perturbed was a curling cross-cumshot from Alfie May that required the on-loan stopper to claw behind to safety.
The home side gradually started to make passes stick and a dangerous delivery into the box from Jimmy Keohane, followed soon after by a Rhys Norrington-Davies cross towards Rekeil Pyke, saw the noise levels around the Crown Oil Arena increase.
Reece James sent a fizzing centre across the face of Sanchez’s goalmouth and the game was disrupted on 27 minutes when Rovers’ defender Alex Baptiste was stretchered off after an awkward fall.
Dale were a whisker away on 34 minutes when they hit the woodwork. Morley’s lofted pass was flicked on by Callum Camps towards the run of Pyke, whose first-time volley across Ian Lawlor’s goal left the keeper flatfooted, the forward’s shot thudding against the foot of the post.
Doncaster came close when Coppinger’s corner was met by Blair, whose header was parried by Sanchez and then rebounded off a Dale team-mate narrowly wide of the upright.
Another clever pass from Morley brilliantly teed up Pyke for a turn and shot at target, Lawlor this time palming the ball away as it flew towards the roof of his net. From the resulting corner, Morley’s side-footed effort was deflected wide.
Sanchez saved a longrange effort from Ben Whiteman just before the interval, but the game remained evenly poised heading into the second period.
Rochdale started the second half on top but Rovers were presented with a chance when Williams’ piledriver was intercepted to set up a counter attack, Kieran Sadlier seeing his effort from a tight angle pushed behind by Sanchez.
Dale took the lead in the 66th minute. Lawlor came off his line to intercept Williams’ pass forward but misjudged it, presenting a half chance for Ian Henderson, but he was driven too wide to take the shot and could only feed Stephen Dooley, whose effort was diverted behind for a corner.
The resulting set-piece was headed out by Doncaster’s man on the near post but Morley collected