Football: Rochdale 2 - 3 Doncaster

Rochdale were made to pay for a host of missed opportunities as they lost out by the odd goal in a five goal thriller on a windy afternoon at the Crown Oil Arena. Dale could have been in front before Ali Crawford’s scuffed shot squirmed past Josh Lillis in the twentieth minute.

Despite going behind Rochdale created a plethora of chances, none of which were taken but the miss of the season must go to Ian Henderson who missed an open goal nine minutes before the break. The end to end game continued but it was the visitors who doubled their advantage early in the second half when Andy Butler headed home from close range from a corner.

Henderson made amends for his earlier miss when he powered in a penalty after Kgosi Ntlhe was tripped inside the box. Rovers regained their two goal advantage when substitute Jermaine Anderson poked home a James Coppinger cross only for Ntlhe to volley home another for Dale to set up a tense finale but Dale couldn’t find another to earn what would have been the least they deserved.

With Ryan Delaney away with Republic of Ireland Under 21s, Kgosi Ntlhe was given a start at the heart of the Dale defence and in an unusual move was also handed the captain’s armband.

With storm Callum battering the country, the strong, yet warm wind looked likely to play a part in proceedings, but it didn’t stop a thoroughly entertaining game of football being played out.

Wirth just one league win at home all season, the Dale faithful will have been looking for an improvement from their side and the players showed what they are capable of as they really took the game to their loftier opponents.

An early chance came to Bradden Inman who struck a powerful shot, Niall Mason bravely in to block the effort.

Henderson, Ntlhe and Clough all had chances but failed to  trouble the scoresheet and it was those misses that would prove costly as the visitors took the lead with their first meaningful attack. A mistake by David Perkins gifted the ball to the opposition who broke down the right. A low ball was played back to Crawford who scuffed his shot into the ground and when it spun up, Lillis couldn’t keep it out despite getting a hand on the ball.

Rochdale responded well to going behind but again failed to beat Marosi. Rathbone’s scuffed shot somehow found Henderson who slid in to divert the ball narrowly wide of the far post.

Zach Clough, who has a reputation as a prolific scorer, scuffed a couple of shots straight at Marosi when well placed but the chance of the half fell to Henderson with nine minutes to play before the interval.

A shot back-pass by Danny Andrew was seized upon by Inman who despite only having Marosi to beat, unselfishly squared to Henderson who saw his initial shot saved on the line by a brilliant bit of defending. The loose ball came back to the striker who opted for power rather than finesse with the goal at his mercy, somehow the club captain crashed his shot off the crossbar.

That miss would prove costly as the game wore on and in the final moments of the first half, Doncaster went close themselves to extending the lead. John Marquis saw a shot well saved by Lillis and with added time at the end of the first period almost up, the striker beat Lillis with a superb first time effort but his shot hit the right hand post.

Doncaster did double their advantage five minutes after the re-start. A left wing corner was headed in by Butler at the near post.

Dale were handed a way back into the game when Marquis tripped Ntlhe inside the box; Henderson dispatching the resultant penalty for his 7th goal of the season.

With Dale pushing for a leveller, Doncaster hit them with a sucker punch. With seemingly no danger on the right, James Coppinger dug out a superb cross which was expertly poked in from Anderson from close range.

The home side once again showed some fighting spirit as they closed the gap once more. A Bradden Inman corner was headed down to Ntlhe who acrobatically turned the ball into the net from 6 yards out.

Dale pushed for a leveller and had a couple of half chances through Calvin Andrew and Joe Rafferty but Doncaster’s spoiling tactics did the job for them as they saw the game out for the win.

 

Rochdale: Lillis, Rafferty, McGahey, Ntlhe (c), Hart (Cannon 58), Perkins (Andrew 57), MJ Williams (Dooley 72), Rathbone, Henderson, Inman, Clough
Subs: (not used) Moore, J Williams, Morley

Doncaster: Marosi, Mason, Butler (c), Wright, Andrew, Whiteman, Crawford (J Anderson 60), Blair, May (Wilks 80), Coppinger (Taylor 71), Marquis
Subs: (not used) Lawlor, T Anderson, Beestin, Horton

Referee: Mr S Oldham
Assistants:  Mr G Liddle & Mr A Pashley
Fourth Official: Mr M Salisbury

Att: 3,600 (754 from Doncaster)