Rochdale 2 (Buckley 67, Kennedy 90) Chesterfield 1 (Ward 85) – Full Time Report

Photo: Jon Coluccio

Tom Kennedy wheels away towards the Dale dugout after his 95th minute winner.

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Rochdale were stung by a 95th minute goal last week at Rotherham, now it was their turn to extract a goal from the deepest depths of stoppage time to record their second win of the season.

Tom Kennedy’s stunning free kick from twenty yards won it for the home side after Jordan Rhodes was fouled on the edge of the box by Chesterfield goalkeeper Trevor Carson. Kennedy curled his effort beautifully into the top corner.

In the build up to the goal Jamie Ward, Chesterfield’s goalscorer, was sent off after receiving a second yellow card for encroaching before the free-kick was taken. Minutes earlier he had been booked for rolling the ball into the net after being caught offside.

Rochdale goalkeeper Sam Russell’s mistake looked as though it had allowed Chesterfield to steal a late point at Spotland.

Russell failed to gather Jamie Ward’s 30-yard free kick, which was sweetly struck but straight at the Dale goalkeeper, who could only fumble it into the back of the net.

Earlier Russell’s heroics had allowed the home side to maintain their lead, given to them by Will Buckley’s cross, which flew over the head of Carson and in at the back post.

Chesterfield pushed on after the set back and their equaliser was deserved after Russell had earlier produced spectacular saves from first Ward, at point blank range, and then Darren Currie from not much further out.

The teams went into the break goalless after limited opportunities for both sides.

Jordan Rhodes, making his home debut, had the best of them right at the end of the half, when Adam Le Fondre got his head on a corner. The ball was blocked on the line and somehow Rhodes could not turn the ball in after it hit Chesterfield keeper Trevor Carson.

Other than that long range efforts were the only chances to fall for either team, despite some enterprising football on offer.

Both sides enjoyed spells of pressure but the goalkeepers had a quiet afternoon.

Chesterfield fullback Phil Picken was first to find the target but his 20 yard drive was comfortable for Russell. An attempt from similar range by Jamie Ward gave the Dale keeper more to think about, Russell just able to gather at the second attempt with Darren Currie looking to turn in the loose ball.

At the other Gary Jones was making a lung-busting contribution to proceedings, firing in with some tough but at the same time excellent tackles. Unfortunately the Dale skipper did not have his radar tuned in to the Chesterfield goal when he shot from the edge of the box after an excellent build up involving Le Fondre, Simon Ramsden and Clark Keltie.

Jones found the target with his next effort, again from 20 yards, after collected the ball from Luke Boden’s hashed clearance; Carson was comfortably up to task in making the save.

An Adam Rundle effort was the only other chance worthy of note. Rundle collected Clark Keltie’s neat free-kick 18 yards out but the winger’s shot was blocked by one of the many bodies in the Chesterfield box.

After the break Chesterfield pushed on the stronger, and somehow Russell kept out Ward from just six yards after the striker latched onto Currie’s low cross.

Rochdale were doing little to trouble Carson and Keith Hill introduced Chris Dagnall on the hour to instil some life into the attack. Minutes later Dale were ahead, though the goal was all down to Buckley, whose lobbed drive, which was arguably a cross, dipped over Carson and into the far corner of the net.

It was a goal from nowhere and Chesterfield soon set about getting into a contest that they did not deserve to be losing. Ward was culpable of a shocking miss when he somehow blazed the ball not only over the crossbar but over the stand from eight yards out after again being fed by Currie.

Russell was then responsible for keeping his side ahead when he saved from Currie at full stretch. The ball fell to Ward whose first shot was blocked at close quarters and then he fired over after getting a second bite of the cherry.

The visitors finally got their leveller when Ward struck and Russell missed, and then the real drama started…

Attendance: 2884

Rochdale: Russell, Ramsden, Kennedy, Stanton, McArdle, Rundle, G. Jones, Keltie, Buckley, Rhodes, Le Fondre (Dagnall 81).
Subs (not used): Higginbotham, Toner, Wiseman, M. Jones. 

Booked: McArdle.

Chesterfield: Carson, Picken, Robertson, Austin, Ward, Niven, Currie (Harsley 89), Goodall, Downes, Winter, Boden (Lowry 61).
Subs (not used): Hall, Algar, Boden.

Booked: Carson, Robertson, Ward, Downes.

Sent Off: Ward

Attempts (on target): Rochdale 10 (7) Chesterfield 15 (8)
Freekicks: Rochdale 23 Chesterfield 14
Offside: Rochdale 1 Chesterfield 5
Corners: Rochdale 6 Chesterfield 5

Referee: A Haines.