Dale fall for Dons smash and grab
AFC Wimbledon did what they have made a habit of doing against Rochdale in recent years – frustrating Brian Barry-Murphy’s men and snatching a lastgasp winner to boot.
The Dons did the same last season at the Crown Oil Arena when Joe Pigott completed a hat-trick with a 95th minute penalty in a 4-3 win.
In the reverse fixture last term it was Dale scoring in the 95th minute – but finishing on the end of a 3-2 defeat.
This contest never got close to the entertainment level of those two games – this time the spectacle and the result were disappointing for Dale.
Jay Lynch started in goal with Gavin Bazunu having broken a finger while on international duty, while there was good news in form of Stephen Humphrys return to the matchday squad, the striker named among the substitutes.
Rochdale settled quickly into their passing game and a pattern was established that would be repeated for mush of the game, the home side passing the ball between themselves but unable to penetrate the five-man Dons defence and their busy midfield.
Dale were on top throughout the first half without really testing Dons goalkeeper Connal Trueman, the closest they came to a chance when Aaron Morley’s powerful delivery from the right was diverted wide of goal by Terrell Thomas, the defender getting his angles spot on - a slight deviation could have sent the ball flying past Trueman.
The visitors had a couple of half chances themselves on the counter during the first 20 minutes, the first when Jimmy Ryan lost possession and Ryan Longman was released down the middle, Eoghan O’Connell shadowing the striker and deflecting his shot to safety.
Longman had a better chance on 17 minutes when a fine delivery from the right found its way to the back post, Longman stretching to meet it and only succeeding in slicing the ball high and wide.
Another opportunity ended with his harmlessly clipping the ball into the Lynch’s midriff.
Matty Lund managed to get something on an Alex Newby delivery but was unable to keep his effort down and by the half hour stage neither goalkeeper had genuinely stretched.
Trueman was called on to punch clear a Morley freekick from the left, the ball dropping for Ryan on the edge of the penalty area and his follow up attempt deflected wide.
The home side were on target again in the 39th minute when a high delivery from Talaji Bola dropped on the head of Lund and he sent a looping header goalward, Trueman saving comfortably.
Dale had the first genuinely clear-cut chance of the day minutes into the second half, a diagonal pass from Jimmy Keohane on the right met by Rathbone, who galloped through the centre unmarked and drew Trueman off his line before clipping the ball beyond the goalkeeper only to send his effort across the face of goal and wide.
A Morley delivery from the right caused concern for Trueman and the goalkeeper pushed his centre over the crossbar, repeating the feat minutes later when a Bola delivery took a deflection and threatened to sneak inside his near post.
Dale bolstered their frontline with the introduction of Humphrys, replacing Ryan, on 59 minutes, but their best opportunities had been and gone - the Dons were the stronger side for the last 25 minutes or so.
Joe Pigott slammed a low drive wide on what was a rare foray forward for the visitors at that stage, Dale still bossing the possession count but doing little with it to trouble the Dons.
On 79 minutes BBM made his second change, Jake Beesley coming off with Matty Done entering the fray and in time added on Kwadwo Baah and Stephen Dooley were given brief run outs, Newby and Rathbone coming off, the latter carrying a knock. However, for the last quarter of an hour the momentum - what little there had been in the contest - had switched in favour of the visitors.
Jack Rudoni came off the bench and almost made an instant impact, forcing a decent save out of Lynch.
Rudoni had a hand in the 92nd minute winner. Anthony Hartigan seized on a loose ball from Keohane and played in Steve Seddon on the left who in turn fed Rudoni - he pulled the ball back for Chislett, and, with his back to goal, he turned sharply and fired into the bottom corner of Lynch’s net, leaving no time for a Dale recovery.