Peterborough Punish Dale’s Dire Second Half Display

Peterborough United 3 - 1 Rochdale

Rochdale manager, Steve Parkin was not a happy man after seeing his side go down to a 3-1 score line at London Road. Parkin believed his side did not turn up in the second half, a major reason for conceding 3 goals after they found themselves in the lead at half time. The Rochdale manager described the second half display as “arrogant” after his side won their four previous games and certain players are likely to be replaced in the home fixture with Lincoln next weekend.

A win would have put Dale top of the league two table, something which fans allured to at half time when Dale were a goal to the good. However, the superior passing play and speed of the Peterborough players shone through in the end as they picked up a deserved victory. Rochdale seldom maintained extended periods in possession and despite some occasional flowing moves in the first half they were eventually found out by the superior Peterborough outfit in the second half as they gained a cutting edge in the second half that seemed to be lacking in the first period.

Rochdale began the game in a lively fashion and a flowing move gave the visitors their first opportunity. Rickie Lambert received the ball with his back to goal and he squared the ball to Holt on the edge of the box. Holt hit a well timed shot with plenty of power but it was directed straight at Tyler who saved comfortably.

Peterborough had the first attempt minutes later as the impressive former Rochdale midfielder Paul Carden ran at the Dale defence with purpose. Tony Gallimore did well to force Carden into a wide position after the Peterborough player had beaten Boardman with considerable ease. Gallimore’s efforts allowed Dale defenders to get back and clear the ball without Gilks being troubled in the Rochdale goal.

The home side looked threatening with the pace of their wide men and the power of their forwards showing great ability in holding the ball up and laying it off to supporting midfielders. Dale were also dangerous on the break with the left hand exploits of Alan Goodall and the dangerous runs of the free-scoring forwards giving the Posh defence something to think about.

The home side were enjoying the superior share of the possession but their attractive play seldom bore fruit as they struggled to find a final ball that would give them an opportunity to open the scoring. Their best chance looked like it would come through Thorpe whose pace and strength were proving to be a problem for Jon Boardman who struggled to cope with the Peterborough forward play all afternoon.

It was the visitors, however, who opened the scoring after finally enjoying some spells on the ball on the half hour mark. Grant Holt tried to head the ball on with his back to goal in the Peterborough area but Burton had other ideas and used the Rochdale top-scorer as a climbing frame in order to clear the ball away. The referee did not hesitate to award Dale with a penalty and Grant Holt sent the keeper the wrong way to give Dale the lead.

The rest of the half was eventful for both sides but few opportunities were created. Rochdale’s best attempts to double their lead came from long range shots whilst Peterborough still could not find the cutting edge that their flowing football deserved so Gilks remained untroubled. That all changed in the second half as Peterborough bossed the game and finally managed to penetrate a Dale defence that simply could not handle the pace of the attacks. The should have equalised after just a couple of minutes when Newton found Holden free at the back post with a superb cross, the Peterborough skipper should have found the target but he looped his header over the crossbar.

Danny Crow gave the home side the equaliser they had been craving just before the hour. An excellent flowing move got the finishing treatment that the build up play deserved. Holden fired a low cross into the box from the right hand side and Crow powered a near-post header into the net giving Gilks no chance. Crow was becoming Peterborough’s most influential player and his manager Mark Wright gave him the title of club’s best finisher after the game. Farrell spurned a great opportunity to give the Posh the lead moments later after Crow was instrumental in the build up.

Peterborough continued to push, sensing that the win was their’s for the taking as Rochdale simply could not get hold of the ball and make use of Holt and Lambert up front. The pace of the attack became too much to handle and the home side soon got their lead. Lee Thorpe skipped past Griffiths with ease and with the attacker bearing down on goal from an angle the beaten defender sliced him down in his tracks. Again there could be no complaints with the decision to award a penalty and Burton coolly dispatched the ball from 12 yards into the left hand corner.

The home side wrapped up the win with fifteen minutes to go after Boardman kindly gave the ball straight to Crowe who ran at the Dale defence before firing across Gilks and into the net for his second of the game. After witnessing his side self destruct, Steve Parkin removed the ineffective Lambert and brought Blair Sturrock into Rochdale’s attack in the hope that the visitors could salvage something from proceedings. Indeed that could have been the case if Sturrock had done better with Rochdale’s best chance of the game. Ernie Cooksey, another of the Dale substitutes to be called into action and a likely candidate for a starting place next week, placed a perfect through ball for Sturrock to latch onto. Tyler was quick to close Sturrock down from at close quarters but the substitute should have done better than to fire straight at the keeper.

Gilks kept the score down to three for the remainder of the game but it could easily have been more after Rochdale’s second half capitulation. Steve Parkin will no doubt ring the changes after his side did not take control of the game from a leading position and invited the home side to attack at will. Parkin was clearly angry as the players failed to do their jobs in the second half and as a result the squad turned up for training the next morning as punishment for a poor performance in front of an impressive away following.