Football: Blackpool 2 - 2 Rochdale

Calvin Andrew’s late goal earned Dale a point gainst Blackpool

Calvin Andrew’s late diving header earned Dale a deserved point against a Blackpool side that extended their unbeaten run to 13 games. The striker, who had only been on the pitch for four minutes, met a Joe Rafferty cross to power the ball into the bottom right hand corner.

Jordan Thompson fired the hosts into the lead after just five minutes but Ryan Delaney’s volley brought parity minutes later.

Curtis Tilt's looping header was adjudged to have crossed the line by assistant referee Mark Dwyer to give Blackpool the lead into the interval before Andrew’s late heroics earned a share of the spoils.

Keith Hill made three changes to the Rochdale side that drew with Bristol Rovers on Tuesday. An appeal against Magnus Norman’s red card was upheld meaning the on loan Fulham goalkeeper will now miss the next three league games.

Rochdale went behind against the run of play when a left wing cross from Marc Bola found an unmarked Thompson whose header squirmed through Josh Lillis.

The lead lasted less than three minutes as Ryan Delaney scored his first league goal of the season. A corner from Bradden Inman was volleyed into the top corner by the Republic of Ireland Under 21 international.

Dale dominated possession but Blackpool retook the lead against the run of the play. A deep corner was headed back across goal by Tilt and his looping header went over Lillis, and despite the best efforts of a defender on the line, the goal was given.

The second half was a dull affair with Blackpool on course for the win until Andrew headed in. Pressure from Dale as the clock ticked down eventually paid off as Rafferty swung in a right wing cross with Andrew making no mistake for his second of the season.

Blackpool: Howard, Turton, Heneghan, Tilt, Bola, Spearing (c), Guy (McLaughlin 76), Feeney (Nottingham 70), Delfouneso (Cullen 88), Thompson, Gnanduillet
Subs: (not used) Boney, Daniels, O’Connor, Dodoo

Rochdale: Lillis, Rafferty, McGahey, Delaney, Hart, MJ Williams (Cannon 69), Perkins, Rathbone (Andrew 82), Inman, Clough (J Williams 65) Henderson (c)
Subs: (not used) Moore, McNulty, Done, Morley

Referee: Mr R Jones
Assistants: Mr N Hopton and Mr M Dwyer
Fourth Official: Mr P Wright

Attendance: 3,520 (840 from Rochdale)