Football: Rochdale 5 - 2 Bolton

Rochdale sailed through to the second round of the EFL Cup after an entertaining game at the Crown Oil Arena. Brian Barry-Murphy’s side came from behind twice thanks to an Ian Henderson penalty and Rekeil Pyke’s header before Callum Camps scored two brilliant goals and Ollie Rathbone sealed the win late on.

The Dale boss made three changes from the side that drew with Doncaster on the weekend. New loan signing Tyler Magloire made his debut whilst 16 year old Luke Matheson was given the nod at right back. Matty Done also started with Rekeil Pyke on the bench.

Bolton, who are still in financial difficulties, could only name three senior professional’s as manager Phil Parkinson looked for his side’s first win of the season.

The game was fairly open affair although as with the two league games so far, Rochdale saw a lot of the ball as they continued with their possession football style.

Matty Done was left frustrated by visiting keeper Remi Matthews. The stopper brilliantly pushing away Done’s effort from close range after the striker’s control and volley following Henderson’s clever chipped pass.

The visitors, who named a side that averaged just 19 years old in their league game at the weekend, took the lead in fortuitous circumstances. A long throw fell kindly to Ronan Darcy whose speculative shot from 25 yards out beat Robert Sanchez in the Dale goal after the on loan Brighton keeper slipped trying to keep the ball out.

The goal buoyed the young Wanderers and they almost doubled their advantage. Politic getting his shot away after a well worked move; Sanchez equal to the striker.

Ian Henderson netted his third of the season from the penalty spot after Callum Camps was upended by Yoan Zouma, the Dale skipper sending Matthews the wrong way from 12 yards out.

Rochdale twice went close before half-time. Firstly, Matty Done crashed a superb shot off the face of the crossbar and just moments later, Jimmy McNulty looped a header off virtually the same spot on the crossbar from Morley’s free-kick.

Bolton re-took the lead early in the second half. Debutant Magloire was caught in possession on the left-hand edge of the 18 yard box by Dennis Politic with the Romanian driving a shot through the legs of Sanchez.

Dale once again drew level in the 64th minute with a lovely move down the right. Stephen Dooley’s cross was perfect for Rekeil Pyke, who’d only been on the pitch two minutes, to steer a header past Matthews.

Dale edged in front just over 60 seconds later with a brilliant strike from Camps. Ian Henderson’s clever chest control and lay off on the edge of the area set Camps up to side foot a powerful shot into the top right-hand corner of the goal for his first of the season.

A goalmouth scramble almost extended Dale’s lead moments later but the home side couldn’t force the ball over the line. Dooley’s deep cross picked out Henderson who from close range was denied by an instinctive low save from Matthew with Rathbone’s follow up blocked. Rathbone then clipped a cross towards the back post that was somehow cleared away from under the crossbar but Dale wouldn’t be denied for long.

Dooley’s deep corner from the left was only partially headed away by the Bolton defence with Camps striding forward to fire a low volley through a crowd of bodies to make it 4-2.

The scoring was completed when another Dooley cross was headed home by Ollie Rathbone from 12 yards out to earn Rochdale’s place in the second round and a home tie against League two Carlisle United.

 

Rochdale: Sanchez, Matheson, Magloire, McNulty, Norrington-Davies, MJ Williams, Camps, Morley (Rathbone 62), Done (Pyke 62), Dooley, Henderson © (Andrew 81)
Substitutes: (Not used) Wade, Delaney, Keohane, Tavares

Bolton: Matthews, Brockbank, Edwards (Boon 53), Zouma, Lowe ©, King-Harmes, Politic (Hurford-Lockett 69), Murphy, Weir, Darcy, Brown (Brown-Sterling 78)
Substitutes: (Not used) Alexander, Senior, Graham, White

Referee: Mr A Haines
Assistants: Mr B Gordon & Mrs H Byrne
Fourth Official: Mr D Watson

Attendance: 3,362 (1,597 from Bolton)