Dale Back From The Dead

Northampton Town 2 - 2 Rochdale
Rochdale rescued a late point from their visit to League Two high fliers Northampton Town. Two halves in complete contrast to each other meant that Rochdale somehow came from two goals down to earn a deserved draw at the Sixfields Stadium. The first half showing was woeful, probably the visitor’s worst performance all season, but changes at half time brought an unfathomable turn around and Rochdale turned in their best display of recent times.

Rochdale began the game defensively, hoping to hold the free-flowing home side by packing the midfield, leaving Rickie Lambert on his own up front with the support of the young wide players Gary Brown and Ben Kitchen; at least that was the plan. In reality the idea worked for five minutes before Northampton opened the scoring. It was another goal that Rochdale keeper Matthew Gilks will want to forget in a hurry. Gilks failed to collect a ball in his six yard box, leaving Simon Ramsden to clear for a corner. Gilks tried in vain to catch the ball from the resultant set-piece and with the ball bouncing around the Dale area, Gilks hauled down Johnson, but whilst the referee waved away the strong penalty claims Josh Low slammed the ball into the vacated goal.

With Steve Parkin busy throwing his pre-match plans out of the proverbial window, the visitors almost grabbed an immediate equaliser. Ben Kitchen did well on the left hand side to pick Jason Crowe’s pocket and the youngster looked up and found Gary Brown unmarked at the far post but Brown snatched at the simplest of chances to slice the ball wide from inside the six-yard box.

This early chance marked Dale’s last chance of the half as they proceeded to play woefully for the remainder; failing to complete simple passes which allowed the home side to attack at will and they began to boss proceedings. Their next opportunity came via a well struck Smith free-kick which looped off the wall and just wide of the post with Gilks a helpless bystander following the deflection.

Northampton’s second was not far away, such was their dominance, and they duly opened up a two goal cushion on twenty-five minutes. The goal came through another corner for the home side. Dale centre-half Mark Jackson lost McGleish in the box and the Cobblers front man was free to smash to ball high into the Rochdale goal from the set-piece; a delightful finish and the game looked to be over already. Northampton were thankfully kept at bay for the remainder of the half whilst Dale continued to go thorough their struggling motions without troubling Lee Harper in the Northampton goal.

Steve Parkin would have to bite the bullet and make wholesale changes for the second half, the changes were swiftly made and all of a sudden Rochdale were a completely different side. Iyseden Christie replaced the woeful John Doolan to partner Lambert up front, whilst Chris Dagnall came on for Brown to add more attacking impetus down the right hand side.

The effect was almost immediate as Dale grabbed an early lifeline. Christie found himself with his back to goal in the Northampton area and he unselfishly laid the ball into the path of Lambert who smashed the ball at goal and Harper could do nothing but palm the ball into the goal, such was the power on Lambert’s shot. Rochdale were rampant and home side did not seem to know what had hit them. The visitors continued to carve open the Northampton defence with substitutes Dagnall and Christie at the heart of Dale’s play.

Christie played in Dagnall only to be denied by a last ditch Doig tackle. The young striker was again involved at the business end of things as he fired a drive goalwards, only for the shot to be stopped by Harper at full stretch. Rickie Lambert was next to try his luck, hitting a dipping shot just wide of the mark. Chances were coming and going with crosses just avoiding onrushing attackers and Northampton defending stoutly. Time was working against Dale’s plight and Northampton began to look dangerous on the counter attack as Dale threw caution to the wind.

The Cobblers failed to put the game to bed with some decent late chances and with the game entering its ninetieth minute Rochdale finally gained the goal their second half display had warranted, albeit the goal came through a contentious penalty award from referee Singh. Alan Goodall advanced on goal with an enterprising run and following a one-two with Gary Jones the left back was deemed to have been upended in the area.

Rickie Lambert coolly despatched the crucial spot-kick to give Dale an unlikely but crucial point. With results going against Rochdale at the bottom of the table, they are now just two points above the relegation zone but their plight would have been even more desperate had Rickie not rescued Rochdale once more. There will be nothing to worry about if Dale put in more displays similar to this second half turn around, but if the performance of the first half is repeated the exit from League Football will edge ever closer. However, Dale will go into Tuesday night’s encounter against league leaders Carlisle with renewed hope and confidence.