Dale Delight at Last Gasp Winner

Chester City 2 - 3 Rochdale

One of the greatest Rochdale games of recent times took place at Chester City’s Saunders Honda Stadium on Friday night. Rochdale managed to take a win back to Spotland thanks to an inspired display for the final half hour led by Captain and Man of the Match Gary Jones. Rochdale fans were left pinching themselves at the final whistle as for the first hour of the game they were schooled in the art of attacking by a Chester side whose only fault, all be it a major one, was that they simply could not score.

Dale soaked up wave after wave of attack from the home side and it was through luck rather than their defensive display that Chester were not clutching the three points joyfully with both hands at half time. The battling spirit of the Rochdale ranks won through as they found extra gears at the end of the game after the Chester engine had stalled. Rickie Lambert won the game for Dale in the 85th minute to cue scenes of delight from the large travelling support on an unbelievable night.

Changes were again made to the Rochdale line-up, although manager Steve Parkin stuck with the 4-4-2 formation that saw his side fortuitously beat Rushden & Diamonds in their previous fixture. There was no surprise to see goal machine Grant Holt restored to the starting eleven in place of Blair Sturrock but there were some eyebrows raised at the inclusion of Lee Cartwright, just returning from injury, to add width on the right hand side.

The game started as it meant to go on as chances were created at both ends and a major injury all occurred within the first five minutes. Chester’s Greg Blundell, following a lengthy delay, was forced off the field on a stretcher following a nasty looking clash with Rochdale keeper Matthew Gilks on the edge of the box. Indeed Gilks may have counted himself lucky not to have been following Blundell down the tunnel as a red card could easily have been the punishment for the challenge for which Gilks only received a yellow. Debates ensued as to whether Gilks played the ball and whether or not he was the last man when took Blundell out.

From the resulting free-kick Chester could have found themselves ahead but were denied by Gilks as he saved well to tip substitute Lowe’s free-kick round the post. Chester’s formidable attacking display continued and on fifteen minutes they should have taken the lead. With the Dale defence stretched, Ben Davies’ run from midfield left him free on the right hand side of the box and when the ball was passed along the line to busy number 14 it looked as though there could only be one outcome. Gilks charged to meet Davies, who dinked the ball over the keeper but somehow managed to hit the woodwork rather than the back of the net and the ball was eventually hooked clear.

Chester continued to press with Rochdale unable to get the ball down and play. Their next guilt-edged opportunity again came courtesy of Davies after he turned Goodhind and fired a cross into the box. Scott Drummond was unmarked and he powered a header at goal only for Gilks to again palm the ball away, Drummond knew he should have put it beyond the keeper’s reach given the space afforded to him by a shaky Dale rearguard. Next in line to have a pop at the Rochdale goal was Ryan Lowe with another header. His attempt from Branch’s cross flashed wide of the post when again a goal should have been the result as the Rochdale defence continued to struggle.

On twenty-five minutes came a great rarity, some partial relief for the Dale back-line as Rochdale at last had a worthy chance of their own. Good play down the Dale left set up Holt for a volleyed attempt from the edge of the area, the strike was clean and the Chester keeper beaten, only for the ball to flash wide of the upright.

With half an hour gone more Chester chances went begging. More headers were afforded to Chester attackers in the Rochdale area as Lowe powered an effort on Gilks’ goal after defenders failed to deal with a corner. Again Gilks was equal to the task, pushing the ball away to eventual safety. David Artell then got in on the, by now popular, act of failing to open the scoring for the home side as his volley went over the bar.

Eventually, against all odds, Chester were punished for their missed chances and Gary Jones registered the first goal of the game. A Rochdale clearance found the feet of Rickie Lambert on the left and he did well to hold the ball up in the area before sliding the ball perfectly to Jones who showed the Chester players how by slotting the ball past the oncoming keeper Mackenzie. Rochdale fans were in disbelief at their 1-0 half-time lead and hoped for a second half defensive display that might be easier on their heart-rates.

Such hopes were dashed just six minutes into the second half as Chester scored a deserved equaliser. Tom Curtis got in behind the backline and his low cross was blasted home by Drummond much to the delight and relief of the home fans. Minutes later and Chester were in the lead after a shocking start to the half by Rochdale. Their defence froze following a well-played advantage by the referee after Goodall brought down a Chester forward. Former Everton-man Michael Branch seized the opportunity and charged at goal. The ball was eventually bundled home from Branch’s square ball by Davies after a fortunate deflection off Gareth Griffith’s left the ball in his path.

With an hour gone Chester had a great chance to put the ball beyond the visitors. Former Rochdale loanee Marcus Richardson was allowed to bundle his way through some weak Dale challenges on the half way line and the ball was fed to Branch who beat the off-side trap and he raced clear down the left. Branch headed for goal and fired a curled attempt into the far corner but Gilks saved terrifically before the ball could be cleared.

Rochdale finally began to enjoy spells in possession as Chester’s efforts looked to have been exhausted just after the hour. A Jamie Clarke corner was half-cleared to the edge of the box and Gary Jones was unlucky not to register his second after his thunderous volley was well saved by Mackenzie, such was the power of the strike the ball would surely have gone in had it gone anywhere but straight at the goalkeeper.

Rochdale now realised they had the measure of their opposition and continued to press and an equaliser on 70 minutes was the reward for the positive response to the early second half set-back. Mackenzie will not want to see the replays of his goalkeeping error that allowed Grant Holt to notch his tenth of the season. A cross from the left by Alan Goodall was towards the Chester goalkeeper and should have been caught but instead Mackenzie, for some reason, chose to punch the ball and his weak attempt fell to Holt on the edge of the area who made no mistake of slotting home past the legs of the defenders.

With the Chester attack now neutralised an unlikely victory became a distinct possibility for the visitors and Scott Warner nearly bagged Dale’s third after replacing Tommy Jaszczun who had pulled up injured. Warner was busy and full of energy after his arrival and he met a Grant Holt cross at the far post and looked certain to score. Warner did little wrong with his brave diving header but a combination of defender and goalkeeper kept the young midfielder from scoring his second of the season.

Rochdale continued to press and finally notched the winning goal in the 85th minute thanks to excellent work by Holt in the Chester area. A good move and patient build up led to the ball finding Holt and he turned his man, Dimech, before firing an excellent strike from an angle only to be denied by Mackenzie at full stretch. Dale fans looked to the left with head in hands thinking the ball would be cleared only to see Rickie Lambert presented with the simple task of scoring from close range. To Dale fans relief the final whistle came following three agonising minutes of injury time and the side were cheered and clapped as they came over to the travelling support to celebrate. The game was a great advert for league two football and an important one for Rochdale who overtake Chester into forth place in the table. There was much to be concerned about by the Rochdale performance and Chester will be very disappointed not take anything from the game, but results and games like this are meant to be savoured rather than analysed.