Brighton 2 - 2 Rochdale

A stoppage time Gary Jones goal earns a share of the spoils against 10-man Brighton and preserves Rochdale’s unbeaten start to the season.

A mistake by Seagulls ‘keeper Casper Ankergren deep into stoppage time gifted Keith Hill’s men a point after the former Leeds stopper weakly punched clear an innocuous ball which fell kindly to the Dale skipper who coolly lofted the ball over the stranded Dane to level the score for the second time in the match.

Jones had earlier netted from the spot after Brighton captain Gordon Greer was sent off for allegedly hitting out at Dale substitute Anthony Elding inside the box.

Buoyed by the midweek defeat of Championship side Barnsley in the Carling Cup and the prospect of a second round tie at Premier League Birmingham in front of the Sky camera’s, Rochdale manager Keith Hill named an unchanged side for the third game running as he looked to continue the unbeaten start to the season. There was one change on the bench as new loan signing from Manchester City, Andrew Tutte, replaced the injured Matt Flynn.

The game started in driving rain at The Withdean, something the 6,500 plus crowd wouldn’t have appreciated seeing as though three sides of this athletic stadium are open to the elements.

The Dale fans had travelled in decent numbers to say it was a 6 hour journey from the North West and found themselves with what is possibly the worst view of a football match anywhere. The 300 or so had to sit in temporary seating behind the goal which, due to the running track, was some 50 metres behind the pitch, making it very awkward viewing.

In the opening couple of minutes, the home side were doing all the pressing and earned to two very dubious corners after the ball clearly came off Brighton players but the linesman on the nearside indicated different. Nothing came of the mistakes and Dale defended well.

Former Dale players always seem to be a thorn in the side of their former employers and Glenn Murray was to prove no different. Ashley Barnes’ through ball was inch perfect for the former Dale striker but Murray couldn’t collect and Lillis smothered the danger.

Hill’s side had been mainly on the back foot and their first foray forward was just before the half hour mark. Good build up play saw an O’Grady cross deflect to Thompson but the Dale youngster couldn’t get the ball under control to get a shot away but instead teed up Akpa-Akpro. The Frenchman seemed to have time to take a first time effort but he dwelled too long and the chance went a begging.

Gus Poyet’s Brighton look a fairly dangerous outfit going forward and they created a number of half chances but the Dale defence stood strong and forced the home side into shots from distance which never really tested Lillis.

Part of Hill’s game plan already seen this season is to defend and hit opponents on the counter attack. Scott Wiseman is a master of this tactic and after stealing the ball just after the half hour mark he went on a marauding run and set up his captain Jones but a terrific block by Elphick denied the stalwart an opening goal.

Glenn Murray came closest to breaking the deadlock eight minutes before the break when his cross-come-shot almost caught out Lillis but the keeper managed to re-adjust and tipped the ball over.

As the clock ticked towards the interval Wiseman put in a trademark cross across the face of goal but no Dale player had gambled and the ball flashed wide. 

Two minutes into the second half and Brighton struck. Rochdale gave away a cheap free kick which was lofted into the box by former Bury player Elliott Bennett. Murray left his marker and directed a bullet header against the bar but the former Dale player was quickest to react and nodded the ball a second time past Lillis for 1-0.

The goal caused a reaction from Hill who immediately sent Anthony Elding out to warm up.

Just a couple of minutes after going behind, Dale earned a free kick tight on the left touch line mid way inside the Brighton half.

The fourth official indicated substitution, off coming Akpa-Akpro with Elding replacing.

The former Stockport striker ran onto the pitch and seemed to run into Greer the Seagull’s captain which caused a little bit of handbags in the home penalty area.

The referee then blew for the free kick to be taken but as Barry-Murphy was taking his run up, Greer allegedly swung an arm towards Elding’s face with the Dale striker dropping to the floor. Referee McDermid ran straight over and showed Greer a straight red card and pointed to the penalty spot. After much arguments and gamesmanship from the home players, Dale captain Gary Jones stepped up and sent Ankergren the wrong way from 12 yards.

Dale looked dangerous after the leveller as Poyet’s side tried to re-adjust to being down to 10 men. Elding hooked one high over the bar whilst O’Grady’s cross was blocked by the Ankergren’s feet.

Just as the visitors were looking likely to net a second, they were caught out by the sucker punch. A long ball forward wasn’t defended well by Dawson and his weak header fell to the feet of Bennett who from 30 yards drilled the ball low into Lillis’ bottom left hand corner to give the 10 men the lead.

Hill’s men looked deflated and the game seemed to drift until O’Grady took the game to the Seagull’s.Ten minutes from time he caught a cross field ball, turned the defender and flashed a rasping drive agonisingly across the face of the goal.

Dale were pushing with Widdowson and Wiseman acting more like wingers than defenders.

Dale got their first corner of the game after O’Grady again caused trouble for the home defence but his shot deflected wide.

Murray almost sealed it for the home side with five minutes left. He and Barnes linked up well, with Murray bearing down on Lillis but the on loan stopper pulled off a fine save to deny him his second of the game.

Elding came very close to equalising after Widdowson got to the bye line and pulled a ball back but the substitute’s side footed effort was blocked on the line.

Widdowson caused problems and again got to the bye line but this time his cross found Wiseman at the back post who, with virtually an unguarded goal to aim for, mis-fired.

Elding almost became the hero for the second game in a row when fellow substitute Matt Done did well down the right. The former Hereford winger whipped a ball into the danger area but Elding didn’t get anything onto his glancing header with the keeper committed.

The writing was on the wall though for Brighton when deep into stoppage time Rochdale earned a free kick inside their own half. Lillis dropped the ball high into the 18 yard box where Ankergren and Elphick contested. The keeper inexplicably punched when the catch would have sufficed and his weak clearance dropped to Jones outside the box who with his left foot sent the ball back over the head of the keeper and into the net to earn a vital point.

It was another tough game for Hill’s men who, having played three games this season, remain unbeaten but with games against Colchester, Birmingham City and Southampton coming up in the next 3 weeks, Dale will have to be better if that run is to continue.

Rochdale manager Hill was understandably a happy man after the game: “They are an outstanding team; they showed that in the first 10 minutes. Even with 10 men they are going to be a match for anybody but I don’t think they had too many clear cut chances in the first half so our plan worked.

"We weren’t making too much of an impact but we were working them.

"The second half didn’t start too brightly. We gave away a silly free kick but that’s our game management.

"We have stepped up a level now and we have got to be better.

"They scored directly from the free kick which we have to deal with better. Of course Glenn Murray was going to score against his old side.

“The sending off? You cannot strike an opponent in the area and get away with it so it was justified.

"We created the stand out chances in the second half even though it was against 10 men. We could have won if we hadn’t conceded the second goal.

“It was a great finish from Gary Jones for the equaliser, even though it was a mistake by the keeper.”

“We have got to make sure in future games that we lock down the centre of the pitch which is so important to us. We have done that in the first half but didn’t in the second and I suppose a poor header from Craig (Dawson) and it left us exposed.

"But we are unbeaten so far, which is superb and we are giving ourselves a little bit of a foundation into the league.

"We would have been disappointed if we hadn’t got the leveller.

"We are learning in a new league and we haven’t been beaten yet”

“The fans that made the long journey down were superb. They have to be patient with us, particularly away from home, but they were tremendous”

 

Brighton - Murray (47)  Bennett (67) 

Rochdale - Jones (53 Pen, 90+2)

Sent off: Greer (52)

Att: 6602 (304 from Rochdale)

Rochdale: Lillis, Wiseman, Widdowson, Dawson, Holness, Jones (c), Kennedy, Barry-Murphy (Done 65), Thompson (Redshaw 71), Akpa-Akpro (Elding 50), O’Grady
Subs (not used): Goodall, Tutte, Edwards, Andre

Brighton: Ankergren, Greer, Elphick, Bennett (Hart 89), Barnes (Battipiedi 90), Calderon, Murray, Dicker, Painter, Smith (El-Abd 52), Kishishev.
Subs (not used): Baz, Walker, Holroyd, Caskey

Referee: Danny McDermid
Ass Ref: Will Bull & John O’brien
Fourth Official: Dave Margetts

 

Brighton
Cautions: None
Sent off: Greer (52)
Possession: 49%
Attempts on target: 6
Fouls: 11
Corners: 6



Rochdale
Cautions: None
Possession: 51%
Attempts (on target): 4
Fouls: 12
Corners: 2