Dale knock high flying Rotherham to become high flyers themselves

Rotherham United 2 (Sharps 14, Derek Holmes 16)
Rochdale 4 (Jones 4, Le Fondre 7, Murray 48, McEvilly 90)

Rochdale stunned Rotherham and ended their ten game unbeaten run with two second half goals in an exciting end-to-end encounter at Millmoor. Glenn Murray nodded Dale in front after his side had surrendered a two-goal start in the first half and Lee McEvilly sealed the win with a last minute tap in.

Murray scored with a second header in as many games and his goal to give Rochdale an early second half lead came in similar fashion to his winner at Accrington in midweek. Kallum Higginbotham’s corner beat the near post defenders and Murray glanced the ball home via the underside of the crossbar.

The goal rocked Rotherham. They had already pulled back a two-goal deficit but they were stifled by Murray’s header and were unable to reproduce the brand of football that got them back into the game in the first half.

“I was disappointed with the goals we conceded,” said Keith Hill after the game. “But to score four goals away from home against a side who are arguably among the favourites for promotion was a fantastic achievement from our lads.”

The goals Rochdale conceded came during an unbelievable start to the game. With seven minutes played Rochdale found themselves in dreamland after Gary Jones had drilled them into the lead from 18 yards and then Adam Le Fondre finished a fine move by clipping Murray’s flick over Rotherham keeper Andy Warrington.

Nine minutes later and the visitors’ lead had been wiped out.

Rotherham had in fact almost taken the lead themselves when Chris O’Grady fired narrowly wide from the edge of the box and the side that had won their last eight league matches were by no means dead and buried at two nil down.

They reduced their arrears when Pablo Mills put his free header from a back post corner back across goal for Ian Sharps to nod home from a yard out. It was poor defending from Rochdale, who had had a warning sign minutes earlier when Mills escaped to the back post from a free kick and Rochdale were fortunate to scramble his knock down out.

Two minutes later and the home side were level after breaking away at pace. Mark Hudson squared to Derek Holmes in acres of space on the right hand side of the Rochdale box and the striker turned inside to curl a left foot shot beyond Sam Russell in the Rochdale goal.

The pace of the game simply had to slow and it did after the Millers equaliser but the chances did not stop coming for both sides.

Le Fondre drilled a shot beyond Warrington but Sharps was on hand to clear off the line and then Murray hit a curled attempt just wide from the edge of the box with Warrington again beaten

At the other end Nathan Stanton and Tom Kennedy met goalbound shots by O’Grady and Mark Hudson with timely interceptions and as the half drew to a close Russell pulled off a wonder save from Graham Coughlan’s bullet header from six yards out. Peter Holmes squandered a fine to chance to give his side the lead before the break when he blazed over from a tight angle with colleague O’Grady much better placed alongside him.

Starting the second half as they began the first Rochdale caught Rotherham cold again with Murray’s header but although they were able to largely stifle the home side’s flowing football for the remainder the height of the Rotherham side meant they were always a threat from set pieces.

Russell produced another superb stop in tipping Sharps looping header over the crossbar at full stretch and he made another fine save from the resulting corner to deny a low Hudson shot that may have crept into the bottom corner.

Rotherham’s finest chance to get back into the game came from one of few flowing second half moves. Peter Holmes pass out wide sent Stephen Brogan free to cut a route towards goal but after turning back inside Simon Ramsden he produced a horrible finish wide of Russell’s near post.

Rochdale, despite still looking dangerous, produced few chances to extend their lead until Murray latched onto a long ball in stoppage time and squared for substitute McEvilly to produce a simple finish.

“Again the win showed our power, pace and ability. We’re a formidable team at the moment but we’re also a proper footballing team,” said Hill. “We play in a manner which is great to watch as a fan and that is testament to the bravery of the coaching staff who are not frightened of that ethos.”

Attendance: 3808

Rotherham: Warrington, Joseph (Tonge 74), Coughlan, Sharps, Brogan, Harrison, Mills (Todd 69), Hudson, P Holmes, O’Grady, D Holmes (Newsham 63).
Subs not used: Annerson, Hurst.

Booked: Brogan, Harrison

Rochdale: Russell, Ramsden, McArdle, Stanton (Holness 54), Kennedy, Higginbotham, Jones, Doolan (Crooks 13), Rundle, Murray, Le Fondre (McEvilly 86).

Booked: Ramsden, Kennedy, Rundle.

Attempts (on target): Rotherham 15 (8) Rochdale 11 (7)
Freekicks: Rotherham 25 Rochdale 24
Offside: Rotherham 4 Rochdale 10
Corners: Rotherham 8 Rochdale 4

Referee: I Williamson.