Rickie Rescues Rochdale after Spirited Display

Rochdale 2 Grimsby Town 2

Rochdale gained a point from a decent game at Spotland after twice coming from behind against League Two promotion challengers Grimsby Town. Dale deserved the point which saw them maintain a slender lead of the congested relegation pack. The first half met with few chances but the game burst into life in the second period and Dale could have earned more, although they would have gained nothing had it not been for Rickie Lambert’s injury time equaliser.

Rochdale were the first to come to grips with the beach-like surface and caused problems early on; Iyseden Christie finding Cooksey at the back post but the midfielder could only hit a well-placed defender with a weak effort. Rochdale continued to press with a few balls into the box causing the visiting defence difficulties but without ever resulting in any clear cut chances.

Rochdale’s hard work was undone on twenty-five minutes when centre-half Mark Jackson, recalled to the starting line-up after a lengthy injury layoff, conceded a clumsy penalty which was converted by Cieran Toner. The pace of the impressive Michael Reddy, allowed the centre forward to get the better of Jackson only for the Dale defender to trip the advancing striker just inside the box.

Chances were then kept to a minimum at both ends and it looked as though Dale, similar to Saturday’s defeat against Wrexham, were lacking any form of conviction that would lead to a leveller before half-time. However, with the half drawing to a close, Christie ran clear following a sublime Lambert through ball. The former Kidderminster forward had only the keeper to beat but he struck a low shot straight at Mildenhall’s boot to ensure Grimsby took their lead into the interval.

Rochdale sparked the game into life in the second half with a much improved display as they put their thoughts about the opposition, the pitch and Saturday’s disastrous performance to back of their heads and took the game to the visiting high-flyers. Dale’s attacking enterprise came, typically, through Rickie Lambert whose quick feet, superb passing and deadly set plays were the main factor in helping Dale gain a vital point.

A Lambert free-kick resulted in Dale’s equaliser. A wicked ball in left Grimsby defenders reeling and Gareth Griffiths was bundled over for what appeared to be a clear penalty. The referee did not want to be responsible for levelling the scores and denied the claims, but Simon Ramsden kept his head when the ball rebounded off Mildenhall to hook the ball over his shoulder and emphatically into the top corner to score against his former club.

The home side had their tails up and they looked capable of recording a victory. However, the match official continued to frustrate the home fans by denying penalty claims, at least one of which was for a clear handball, as a Gary Jones effort struck an outstretched defensive hand. To add further to their annoyance, the referee missed another ball handling; with Christie racing clear down the right, Rickie Lambert found himself clear in the middle only for Christie’s cross field pass to be clearly intercepted by a Grimsby hand on the edge of the area. Dale continued to create and they should have taken the lead when a Lambert free-kick found McArdle who should have done better than to head over the bar.

By eighty minutes Dale’s attack looked spent having been denied a winner and the Mariners enjoyed a spell of pressure for themselves. When pressure mounts on the Rochdale defence a goal is usually the result and this proved to be no exception. Grimsby created trouble down the left and when the cross came in only a weak Gareth Griffiths header met the ball, it dropped to Bolland and he curled a tidy shot beyond Gilks.

It looked for all the world like Grimsby had snatched a win to take them to the top of the table. Dale struggled to create further chances as the introduction of Chris Dagnall proved ineffective. Grimsby held the ball up in the corners and when Dale had a ninety-second minute goal kick it appeared that the game was up. However, they gained one last throw of the dice when Christie won a corner. With the players jostling in the box, Lambert whipped in a wicked ball, which evaded everyone and went in at the far post to spark scenes of elation amongst the sparse home faithful.

The spirited display meant that Dale deserved the draw as they more than matched one of the league’s top sides, who were not particularly impressive but in Michael Reddy they have an excellent striker who provided a threat all evening. It is essential that Dale take this battling spirit that somehow managed to emerge from the debacle of the Wrexham defeat, into the massive local derby at Bury on Saturday. A battling performance will mean they are certainly capable of getting a point at the home of their struggling rivals, and in Lambert, Rochdale have the weaponry to win the game.