Poor Dale grab last-gasp point
ROBBIE Stockdale was undecided whether or not this was a good point for his side against a team challenging for a play-off place, his disappointment with the performance clouding his ability to pick out the positives.
It was an understandable reaction, for in between Alex Newby’s goals in the first and last minute, Dale were below par.
Opposing manager Kenny Jackett succinctly put it: “We’ve made mistakes in the first minute and the last minute – in between I thought we played well.”
Orient certainly played better than the home side and were rightly the more disappointed to only emerge from the contest with a point.
Perhaps the one positive Dale will take from it was the fact they earned a point IN SPITE of their display. The second half in particular was difficult viewing for home spectators, with wayward, erractic passing spreading through the side.
Stockdale made two changes to the line-up that had kicked off the FA Cup first round tie against Notts County six days earlier, goalkeeper Jay Lynch making way for Joel Coleman to make his 100th league appearance.
Newby was preferred to Stephen Dooley, who dropped down to the bench, and there were just 30 seconds on the clock when he justified his inclusion in the side by giving Dale the lead.
When Liam Kelly’s cross from the left picked out Corey O’keeffe the wing back sent a header back across the face of goal and Newby was there to simply nod in from close range.
It was just the start Dale had been looking for.
However, Orient responded well to going a goal down and provided a real scare on eight minutes when Sam Graham completely missed a cross in from the left, forcing Coleman leap forward from his line and divert the ball into the path of Harry Smith, 10 yards from goal – fortunately, Jeriel Dorsett reacted quickly to block his goalbound effort.
A 25-yard free-kick from Dan Kemp only just missed the target and after a couple of neat passages of play they were desperately unlucky not to level, Kemp combining with a couple of teammates to buy space on the right and his cross was met by Aaron Drinan, whose firm header smashed against the underside of the crossbar before Dale were able to scramble it clear. Referee Anthony Backhouse refused to entertain shouts the ball had crossed the goalline.
Dale appeared to have weathered the pressure and hit back with Graham heading Aaron Morley’s corner before a fine move started and finished by Eoghan O’connell – with Kelly and Abraham Odoh playing their part – saw the skipper’s fierce drive saved by Laurence Vigouroux.
Orient’s positive response to Dale’s opener paid dividends in the 24th minute. Kemp slotted a fine pass in behind the Dale backline and Drinan timed his run to perfection to stay onside, race through and fire wide of Coleman.
There was controversy on the half hour when Shadrach Ogie appeared to headbutt Newby, O’keeffe then pushing the perpetrator fully in the chest, knocking him to the ground. With the home fans demanding a red card, referee Backhouse booked the Orient man and meted out the same punishment to O’keeffe – in fairness to the referee, had he sent Ogie off. O’keeffe’s forceful reaction might have warranted the same outcome.
O’connell side-footed another long-range effort wide while at the other end Ogie’s low delivery into the area evaded both defenders and inrushing Orient players alike.
Early in the second half, O’connell was caught in possession on the edge of the area by Drinan but Smith was unable to capitalise.
Odoh, collecting a pass out from Coleman in his own half, skipped through to the Orient penalty area but scuffed a tame shot into Vigouroux’s hands.
Odoh and Newby teamed up to good effect to work an opening for Jake Beesley on 55 minutes, the striker’s shot deflected into the side netting and fooling some spectators in the Main Stand into believing the home side had regained the lead for a split second.
But Orient started to exert control around the hour mark with Dale’s errant passing increasingly an issue.
Tom James’ cross was headed onto the top of the crossbar by Smith and when they took the lead in the 65th minute, it came as no real surprise.
A long throw into the area was partially cleared by Dorsett, but he could only head clear as far as the edge of the penalty area where Craig Clay met the ball on the volley, his execution low and hard and running through a crowded area and into the net.
Stockdale made three changes with Matt Done and Josh Andrews replacing Odoh and Keohane, while a tough afternoon for Graham ended as he was replaced by Max Taylor having picked up a knock.
The changes gave the home side some impetus – but Dale were still looking second best.
Vigouroux spilled Kelly’s corner but recovered quickly – other than that they were struggling to create. The clock ticked down with plenty of effort from the home side but precious little composure or quality on the ball.
O’connell’s raking delivery into the area for Done found its target – the substitute’s volley blocked for a corner. And from the resulting set-piece Dale were level, Kelly’s delivery knocked to the back post where Newby converted from close range.
In time added on, Andrews’ piledriver from 25 yards ran wide while Coleman was in the right place to stop a header from Kemp. ROCHDALE:
Coleman, O’keeffe, O’connell, Graham ( Taylor, 70), Dorsett, Keohane (Done, 66), Morley, Kelly, Newby, Beesley, Odoh (Andrews, 66). Subs not used: Lynch, White, Dooley, Grant
Vigouroux, James, Smith, Kemp, Ogie, Kyprianou (Pratley, 76), Archibald, Clay, Mitchell, Drinan (Sotiriou, 80), Beckles. Subs not used: Byrne, Wood, Happe, Thompson, Nkrumah
LEYTON ORIENT: