Rochdale 0 Wycombe Wanderers 1 (Zebroski 31) - Full Time Report

Photo: Jon Coluccio

Agonising: Chris Dagnall's shot travels just past the post. It was the closest Dale came all afternoon.

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Wycombe frustrated Rochdale and the home supporters to record victory at Spotland, their fourth win at the ground in as many visits.

The visitors scored the only goal of the game with their only shot on target, a sliced effort from Chris Zebroski.

Dale were limp in attack and never looked like finding the equaliser.

Wycombe won a corner and Zebroski turned a loose ball into the net after Sam Russell had saved with his feet from Mike Williamson’s back post header.

The home side dominated the possession, as is their style, but clear chances were hard to come by. Strike partners Chris Dagnall and Adam Le Fondre shared the two better opportunities. Le Fondre drawing a good low save from Scott Shearer, while Dagnall’s attempt beat the keeper but travelled agonisingly past the far post.

A quiet start to the game saw little action in front of goal. Wycombe had a succession of corners from which nothing came bar a long range effort drilled well wide.

Slowly the home side began to get into things through the sprightly feet of Will Buckley. Having won both Rochdale penalties in the game against Bury last week, the youngster’s confidence was clearly high and he contributed to Dale winning a couple of corners of their own. From the first Dale should have had the ball in the net when it dropped in the six yard box but neither Chris Dagnall or Adam Le Fondre could turn it in.

Le Fondre was the man behind both of Dale’s early attempts. The first provided the better opportunity as Le Fondre latched on to Dagnall’s through ball. From a tight angle Le Fondre drilled a low shot across goal and Scott Shearer did well to palm the ball out.

A flash shot from Le Fondre flew wide from the edge of the box but Dale continued to dominate the possession and their next chance soon followed. Dagnall stole between Leon Johnson and Mike Williamson to retrieve Adam Rundle’s pass. Shearer was out quickly, Dagnall nicked the ball past him only for it to travel agonisingly wide.

From Wycombe’s fifth corner they took the lead. Williamson rose at the back post to head the ball down. Russell saved with his feet but a combination of Ciaran Toner and Rory McArdle could not clear and Chris Zebroski scuffed a shot inside the post from inside the six yard box.

The home side continued to press but there was little sign of an equaliser before half time. Gary Jones went down in the box under a challenge from Johnson and shouted loud for the penalty but there was not much danger of it coming from the referee.

The second half played out in much the same fashion, with Wycombe frustrating Dale and playing on the counter. Chances were limited.

Shearer was only once forced into a save and that was from a deep Tom Kennedy cross that sailed towards the back post and the keeper was forced to the ball over his crossbar.
The introduction of Lee Thorpe with half an hour to play gave the Dale attack more of a physical presence, in place of the tiring Buckley.

The height of Thorpe gave the Wycombe backline more to concentrate on and in doing so Dale came close from a corner as Dagnall went unnoticed at the back post but he could only glance his header wide.

The home side’s frustrations continued as the clock wore down towards full time, Wycombe helping to slow the game at every opportunity, taking their time over every set piece and throw-in.

Shearer was seldom troubled until five minutes from time when Rundle cut inside on his right foot on the edge of the box and fired a low shot inches past the upright.

Attendance: 2,880 

Rochdale: Russell, Ramsden, Kennedy, Stanton, McArdle, Buckley (Thorpe 57), Jones, Toner (Lambert 79), Rundle, Dagnall (Higginbotham 79), Le Fondre.
Subs not used: Spencer, Wiseman.

Booked: Stanton

Wycombe: Shearer, Woodman, Johnson, Williamson, McCracken, Doherty (Harrold 29), Zebroski, McGleish (Church 72), Grant, Spence, Mousinho.
Subs not used: Young, Ashton, Crooks.

Attempts (on target): Rochdale 6 (2) Wycombe 5 (1)
Freekicks: Rochdale 15 Wycombe 17
Offside: Rochdale 6 Wycombe 5
Corners: Rochdale 10 Wycombe 7