Murray’s mighty comeback for ten man Dale

Accrington Stanley 1 (Craney 23)
Rochdale 2 (Higginbotham 56, Murray 75)

A goal behind and down to ten men by half-time Rochdale’s fate seemed to sealed on a wet and windy night in Accrington. But Rochdale were the better side throughout and recorded a deserved win, overcoming their one man disadvantage with goals from Kallum Higginbotham and Glenn Murray in the second half.

Murray was restored to the side with Lee McEvilly unable to play against his parent club and he scored a winner that will do his confidence, which has been low all season, the world of good. He hit the back of the net with a bullet header from an Adam Rundle corner and celebrated in front of the delirious Dale fans behind the goal.

The lack of marking would have disappointed Accrington boss John Coleman, considering that minutes earlier Rory McArdle had flashed a free header from another Rochdale corner just past the post.

“Glenn’s goal came from a super cross and a fantastic header,” said Dale boss Keith Hill. “He is working hard and will get a little bit more belief back into himself after that showing.”

After making a bright start Rochdale undid their good work when David Perkins dived into a poorly timed tackle on James Harris near the half way line. Perkins was red carded by referee Neil Swarbrick and minutes later Accrington were ahead.

After a foul on former Dale player Leighton McGivern by Simon Ramsden, Ian Craney stepped up and hit a sublime, wind-assisted free kick into the Rochdale net from 25 yards out.

In their bright opening Murray had fired just wide for Rochdale with an overhead kick and curled a shot just past the upright after cutting inside from the right wing.

Bar some wayward shooting from twenty yards and their superb goal, Accrington had offered very little, which made Perkins’ bad tackle appear all the more needless.

As they began to get to grips with their disadvantage the visitors began to get back on top towards the end of the half and when Keith Hill switched to a 3-4-2 formation at the start of the second half they looked even more capable of getting something from what looked, after twenty minutes, to be a hapless fixture.

With the wind and driving rain at their backs after the interval Rochdale soaked up attacks from a mis-firing Accrington side and caught them with numerous sucker punches. Despite David Perkins twentieth minute sending off, the visitors looked more likely to extend their lead, when they took it with 15 minutes to play, than Accrington did to cancelling it out.

It was from one such sucker-punch that Rochdale drew level on the hour. Superb work from Dale sub John Doolan set up the goal. He turned calmly turned away from danger in his own six yard box and whipped a lovely ball down the inside right channel. The pass put Accrington defender Sean Webb in all kinds of trouble trying to turn in the mud. Dale striker Kallum Higginbotham raced passed Webb and showed why Rochdale have extended his deal at the club to 2010 by finishing underneath Accrington keeper Ian Dunbavin.

“Kallum took his goal superbly,” said Hill. “I think he will go on to score more goals. His work rate, enthusiasm, ability and skill are frightening.”

The home side came at Dale after conceding the equaliser in what was their one true spell of sustained pressure on the Rochdale goal. Nathan Stanton was forced to clear off the line from Andrew Proctor’s attempt from 18 yards after Dale keeper Russell had got a weak fist to an Accrington corner.

However, Accrington’s short spell of attacking football reaped little else in the way of efforts on goal and after Rochdale had scored what could only be described as a deserved second, they were the ones doing most of the attacking as the game came to a close.

Young substitute striker Ben Wharton was devastated when he was put clear in the final minute only, before he could finish, the ball to get caught in the quagmire that had become in the Accrington penalty box. Murray picked it up and fired a well struck shot that was superbly turned away by Dunbavin.

Ahead of the game John Coleman had spoken of how his side needed to pick up wins at the Fraser Eagle Stadium. Like Rochdale their record on their travels is considerably better than that on their own patch and this performance was never good enough to take the three points.

For Rochdale, they have not lost away from home since the first day of the season and they now travel to Rotherham on Saturday high on confidence to face a side who have won their last seven league games.

Attendance: 1621

Accrington: Dunbavin, Richardson, Williams, Roberts, Branch (Dennehy 79), Craney, Harris, Proctor (Boco 80), Webb, Mullin, McGivern (Brown 59).
Subs not used: Miles, Edwards.

Booked: Richardson, Roberts.

Rochdale: Russell, Ramsden, McArdle, Stanton, Kennedy, Higginbotham (Wharton 90), Jones, Perkins, Rundle, Murray, Le Fondre (Doolan 24).

Booked: Kennedy.

Sent Off: Perkins.

Attempts (on target): Accrington 8 (3) Rochdale 10 (4)
Freekicks: Accrington 17 Rochdale 17
Offside: Accrington 3 Rochdale 3
Corners: Accrington 2 Rochdale 8

Referee: N Swarbrick