HENDO PICKS POSH’S POCKET
STEVE Evans branded Rochdale ‘robbers with balaclavas’ as the strugglers staged a ten-man heist, nicking victory to derail Peterborough’s play-off push.
Dale skipper Ian Henderson poached a 20th goal of the season in the first half but saw red on 53 minutes, sent off for a reckless challenge on Gwion Edwards.
Evans watched enraged as Posh spurned several secondhalf chances and slipped to ninth, three points off the playoffs with four games to go.
“I’ve not seen a side dominate a game like that for a while and come away with nothing,” said Evans. “Players I would expect to score missed their chances and we had six good opportunities missed. These are gilt-edged sitters, really.
“I’ve got a little saying: they’ve turned up with balaclavas and nicked something! They’ve come and robbed us.
“Credit to Rochdale, they play the Rochdale way. They stick Calvin Andrew up front and launch it to him. But that’s Keith’s business, not mine.”
Keith Hill’s men clung on ato clinch a win that takes them a point from safety – in the hunt.
“It’s a proud moment to stand there as a winning manager at Peterborough, sharing it with our supporters,” said Hill, whose side face a defining dropzone clash with Oldham on Tuesday.
“There’s an impact on us losing Henderson for the next few games but we’ll try and get it rescinded as he’s brought the red out quickly.
“These points keep us in the starters blocks, we’re still in the race. We’ve got a six-game season.”
Henderson’s deft strike earned Dale a 16th-minute lead as he pounced on Calvin Andrew’s parried shot and pirouetted to power in from an acute angle.
Keeper Connor O’Malley then failed to claim a high ball behind Posh’s brittle backline, Henderson’s acrobatic attempt to net the rebound fell just wide.
The home crowd, deflated by Rochdale dominance, saw their side carve out a first real chance on 42 minutes when George Cooper cut in and curled wide.
They were baying for blood just after the break, Henderson chopping Edwards down from behind and being given his marching orders by Antony Coggins.
With the game turned on its head, Josh Lills had to leap right to keep out Jack Baldwin’s header and Andy Hughes nodded wide from the corner.
Posh had the ball in the net on 75 minutes but Edwards was ruled offside as he nodded home from close-range.
Andrew came close to a second when he rose highest from a corner only for his header to clip the crossbar.
In frantic injury-time, Lillis flew high to pluck Danny Lloyd’s header out of the top corner and preserve the win.