McEvilly hits winner on return

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Rochdale 1 (McEvilly 67)
Mansfield Town 0

Lee McEvilly scored the winner on his return to Rochdale as they overcame Mansfield in an entertaining encounter at Spotland.

The 25 year-old striker last played for Rochdale in 2004 but he was brought back to the club this week to aid Rochdale’s striker shortage. The Accrington loan player struck mid-way through the second half to secure the points for the home side.

Rochdale boss Keith Hill was unsurprisingly full of praise for his new striker. He said: “When he starts Lee can be a one in two goal scorer, he’s got obvious ability. He has got lost somewhere on his footballing journey but we will try to recreate the player that his potential showed when he first came to the club but he’s obviously over the moon to make a goal scoring return.”

Rochdale dominated the second half and they nearly sealed the victory when substitute John Doolan hit the post with a low drive late on from Rory Prendergast’s low cross. The ball rebounded off the post to Adam Le Fondre but it was too quick for him to do anything but bundle the ball wide.

Rochdale started the second half as they meant to go on and they should have had a goal to show for it when Adam Rundle chested down Kallum Higginbotham’s excellent cross but the winger blazed over from close quarters.

“At half time I thought Rochdale would have raised their game another step, which they did,” said Mansfield manager Billy Dearden. “But I thought we gave them too much space and time on the ball.”

Mansfield only managed one second half effort of note but it did produce a fine save from Rochdale keeper Sam Russell. Stephen Dawson pounced on a loose David Perkins pass and drilled a shot across goal from the edge of the box. Russell was at full stretch as he turned the ball out for a corner.

Rochdale enjoyed an abundance of possession but they did not look like scoring until the introduction of Le Fondre in the second half. Le Fondre gave the attack added impetus in place of a misfiring Glenn Murray. It was Le Fondre’s touch that set up McEvilly for the goal, allowing the Northern Irishman to drill low across goal and into the bottom corner.

Minutes before coming off Murray had missed a glorious opportunity to put Rochdale ahead but placed his header from Gary Jones’ cross wide from seven yards out. Keith Hill also thought Murray had a strong penalty claim waived away by referee Colin Webster. In a race to the ball between him and Mansfield goalkeeper Carl Muggleton, Muggleton came second and Murray went down but the referee said no penalty.

Muggleton was kept busy as the game came to a close. Doolan stung his hands with a well-struck shot from the edge of the box and he was out quickly to deny Le Fondre after the substitute had been played through one on one by the impressive Higginbotham.

Rochdale had enjoyed plenty of the ball in an even first half but it was Mansfield who enjoyed the best chance to open the scoring. Lee Bell put Dawson through but he could only hit his shot straight at an on-rushing Sam Russell.

Mansfield had earlier drawn a good save from Russell when Rory Boulding drove the ball low and hard across goal. Russell did well to turn the ball away for a corner.

Rochdale managed some flowing moves but they lacked the killer pass. Muggleton was only forced into one real save when his fine reflex stop kept out a deflected Gary Jones attempt from 12 yards out.

Some solid defending did for the rest of Rochdale’s attacks and this enabled them to launch the counter raids that ended with Russell being called into action. However, those counter attacks became a rarity after Rochdale had scored and it always seemed likely that a single goal was going to win it.

In the first half Mansfield defenders had blocked and tackled well to ensure the game remained goalless at half-time. John Mullins did well to clear McEvilly’s low cross and Dan Martin got in the way of Higginbotham’s well executed volley. As the half drew to a close Alex-John Baptiste made a fine sliding challenge on Murray following his turn towards goal inside the box.

“We have got a good squad for future years as well as this season. We want to be successful and I think we can be”, said Keith Hill after the game.

Attendance: 2431

Rochdale: Russell, Ramsden, Kennedy, Holness, Stanton, Higginbotham, Jones, Perkins, Rundle (Prendergast 56), McEvilly (Doolan 81), Murray (Le Fondre 56).
Subs not used: Spencer, Crooks.

Mansfield: Muggleton, Mullins, Martin, Buxton, Baptiste, Hamshaw (D’Laryea 59), Jelleyman (Holmes 87), Bell, Dawson, M Boulding, R Boulding (McAliskey 67).
Subs not used: White, McIntosh.

Attempts (on target): Rochdale 11 (7) Mansfield 5 (4)
Freekicks: Rochdale 19 Mansfield 14
Offside: Rochdale 6 Mansfield 4
Corners: 9 Mansfield 2

Referee: C Webster.