Cod Army battle back to sink Dale
FLEETWOOD Town twice came from behind to claim a 3-2 victory at Rochdale on
Boxing Day. Captain Callum Camps, sporting the armband in Ian Henderson’s absence, had the first effort of the afternoon, cutting into the area on the left and floating a curling shot narrowly wide of the apex of Billy Crellin’s goal frame.
The Dale defence was put to the test on seven minutes when Eoghan O’Connell gave away a free kick for a clumsy shove on Ched Evans wide on the left. Paul Coutts drove a low setpiece into the six-yard area and Harrison Biggins saw a shot cleared off the line before Jack Sowerby sliced wide.
Those two incidents suggested an end to end first half with chances in the offing for both sides – however, both backlines took heed of the warnings and it was a case of defences on top for much of the period. It was lively enough fare, but the quality ran out when either side approached the final third.
Fleetwood were denied what appeared a clear penalty on 32 minutes, Lewis Coyle driving deep into the Dale area and just as he was about to square the ball, Camps’ challenge from behind sent him to the turf. Joey Barton and his team in the dugout were apopletic with rage as referee Andy Haines waved play on.
And their annoyance was compounded five minutes before the interval when the home side edged ahead. Stephen Dooley’s corner from the left found Aaron Wilbraham at the near post and he was able to flick the ball inside Crellin’s upright, the keeper getting a hand to the ball but unable to keep it out of his goal.
Fleetwood started the second half well and were level within nine minutes of the restart. Danny Evans’ delivery found Ched Evans, who sent a firm downward header towards the bottom corner of the goal. Robert Sanchez saved, but he was unable to gather the ball and Paddy Madden pounced to apply the finish.
Wilbraham had his second of the afternoon, restoring the home side’s lead on the hour mark when he seized on a poor defensive header and made Fleetwood pay with a neat finish.
However, Dale were pegged back once again just five minutes later, substitute Kyle Dempsey sending a shot goalward from distance and seeing his effort squeeze through a crowded penalty area and into the net.
There was a long stoppage in play when Rhys Norrington-Davies collided with Crellin, both players down for a lengthy spell and eventually Norrington-Davies
was stretchered off, prompting a 13-minute period of stoppage time.
All Dale’s subs were on the field by that point and as the ten men adjusted, Fleetwood broke forward and took the lead for the first time in the game, Wes Burns sweeping home to make it 3-2.
●●POST-MATCH reaction in Wednesday’s Observer