Entertaining home finale ends in defeat
IF the pre-christmas win against Newport will be remembered as the best home display of Rochdale’s season, they saved the most entertaining for last.
The shackles off with the threat of relegation gone, Dale produced open, front-foot football and found themselves pitted against a team committed to attack. It was thoroughly enjoyable fare. Up to the 89th minute, at any rate.
At that point, the game turned on its head and Dale’s 3-2 lead against Joey Barton’s promotionchasing team quickly became a 4-3 reverse, the home campaign closing in defeat.
There were three changes to Robbie Stockdale’s line-up with Corey O’keeffe recalled to the starting line-up and Ethan Brierley - recalled from the loan spell at Spennymoor. Jim Mcnulty and Abraham Odoh made way for them.
Perhaps the most notable change was between the posts, where Sheffield United youngster Jake Eastwood was drafted in at the last minute following an injury to Jay Lynch.
Conor Grant cut in from the left and sent a strong drive into the midriff of James Balshaw in the Rovers goal
There was a let off for Dale and youngster Eastwood in particular in the ninth minute when he spilled a cross from the left and James Connolly pounced – fortunately he volleyed wide of the post.
Dale made the most of that escape, taking the lead within two minutes. Grant picked out frontman Luke Charman’s run in behind the Gas rearguard with a sumptuous pass, Charman striding confidently into the area, drawing Belshaw from the line and stroking a clinical finish beyond the Rovers stopper for his goal in Dale colours.
Charman’s afternoon brightened further still on 17 minutes when he netted his second. O’keeffe made the goal, twisting one way and the other to thoroughly bamboozle Josh Grant and then Connolly in quick succession, the wing back delivering a lofted pass to the back post where Charman volleyed into the roof of the net from close range.
Antony Evans blazed a good chance wastefully over the Sandy Lane roof when presented with a free shot at goal in the 32nd minute and within two minutes at the other end Stephen Dooley teed up O’keeffe and he struck too high from similar range.
Connor Taylor sent a glancing header wide from close range in another let off for the Dale backline while Eoghan O’connell nicked the ball off Elliott Anderson’s toes on the stroke of half time after Jimmy Keohane’s slip up presented the ball at his feet eight yards from goal. The captain cleaned up and ensured Dale reached half time two goals to the good.
Charman drifted round a couple of defenders at the start of the second half but floated an effort from 20 yards well over the crossbar but the visitors were back in the game on 53 minutes when Evans picked out Sam Finley and he kept his composure in a crowded Dale penalty area to slip a neat finish past Jake Eastwood.
Evans slammed a shot into the side-netting soon after as Rovers pushed for a quick leveller while Eastwood dived to his left to keep out an Evans freekick from 25 yards.
Dale restored their twogoal lead on the hour mark when Matt Done’s persistence on the left of the Rovers area allowed him to pull the ball back for the incoming O’keeffe. Belshaw saved his initial effort but the ball rebounded back to O’keeffe, who made no mistake at the second time of asking.
Elliott Anderson sent a stinging 20-yard drive goalwards only to see Eastwood block the attempt then jump to his feet quickly and punch the ball clear of the danger zone.
Rovers refused to buckle and hit back again in the 66th minute. Evans, on the left of the area, opted not to shoot from a tight angle, rather he intelligently slid the ball across the face of goal, gifting a tap in to Aaron Collins.
Luke Thomas was in on goal but dithered in pulling the trigger, allowing Max Taylor the time to get back and block his shot.
Substitute Danny Cashman had a chance for Dale in the 79th minute after bundling his way clear of two Rovers defenders, but with Belshaw narrowing the angle he prodded the ball too high and it sailed over the crossbar.
The visitors’ completed the comeback in the 89th minute, Harry Anderson setting up Collins for his second of the afternoon.
And the three points were secured in the 95th minute when Elliott Anderson’s header was turned home by Collins at close range, appeals for offside proving unfounded when watching the winner played back.