Rochdale 1 (Rundle 66) Macclesfield 1 (Brown 81) – Full Time Report

Photo: Jon Coluccio

Gary Jones looks to get beyond Nat Brown.

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Rochdale were held to a disappointing draw at home to Macclesfield as Nat Brown cancelled out Adam Rundle’s second half opener.

Dale should have come out victorious in a game of few chances. They bossed the second half for extended periods and it looked as though Rundle’s close range finish would be enough for the points but Dale paid for their inability to keep a clean sheet and Brown’s header brought the equaliser.

“It is definitely two points lost for me but I think Macclesfield’s game plan worked. It was a point gained for Macclesfield and maybe they could even have won it.

“It was a game from which we should have got more points but we have to accept that I suppose.

“We are in a winning industry and at the moment I would expect more from that game.

“We should be dealing with their goal better and then be winning the game 2-0 by playing on the break but it was just one of those days.”

Macclesfield made a bright start, winning a couple of corners, before earning the game’s first clear chance when a long through ball bisected the Dale centre halves and Gareth Evans was able to fit in the gap. Sam Russell was out quickly to smother Evans’ attempted finish.

The home side were unable to find the tempo they wanted until a flowing move involving Gary Jones, Adam Rundle and Lee Thorpe gave Chris Dagnall chance but he was superbly challenged in the box by Paul Morgan.

Dale had very little to offer in the final third with only a Ciaran Toner long ranger testing Brain in the Macclesfield goal.

There was excitement when Dale were awarded a free kick inside the Macclesfield box for a back pass but Dagnall’s shot was smothered by the wall.

Brain was finally tested as the half came to a close but it took one of his own men to draw the save as Terry Dunfield flicked on a Tom Kennedy free kick towards his own bottom corner. Brain got down well to tip the ball round the post.

The second half began with much more intent from the home side as Dagnall fed Thorpe into the box; the tall striker firing narrowly over the angle of post and bar from eight yards out.

Following Dale’s bright opening the visitors looked almost certain to open the scoring when Ahmed Deen found himself with time and space inside the Dale box. Deen hesitated and that allowed Kennedy to block his shot superbly.

The Silkmen called for a penalty minutes later when Nat Brown stumbled over Rory McArdle’s outstretched leg but the referee firmly declined the appeals.

A long run by Scott Wiseman finally instilled some life into the Spotland crowd as he marched from deep inside his own box beyond three men to the opposite end of the pitch. His cross brought cries of handball against Shaun Brisley before Thorpe fired over.

The home side had the wind in their sails and Joe Thompson rattled the crossbar as he latched onto Kennedy’s deflected cross at the back post.

Dale continued to press Macclesfield back and Brain was tested when McArdle produced a superb pass to find Rundle, who cut back for Dagnall to shoot but the save was fairly comfortable.

Eventually the home side got the lead that their improved second half performance had deserved. It came from a corner as Dagnall got a flick to Kennedy’s kick and Rundle was on hand to turn the ball home from six yards.

Macclesfield offered very little throughout the second half but they drew level as Rochdale’s inability to keep clean sheets returned to haunt them. Izak Reed’s cross from was met by Nat Brown’s free header, buried convincingly beyond Sam Russell.

Attendance: 3013

Rochdale: Russell, Wiseman, Kennedy, Stanton, McArdle, Rundle, Jones, Toner, Thompson (Buckley 72), Dagnall (Le Fondre 72), Thorpe.
Subs (not used): Holness, Keltie, Spencer.

Booked: Stanton

Macclesfield: Brain, Reid, Hessey, Brisley, Dunfield, Brown, Deen, Evans (Gritton 78), Morgan, Yeo (Green 83), Flynn (Thomas 72).
Subs (not used): Bell, Jennings.

Attempts (on target): Rochdale 11 (4) Macclesfield 7 (2)
Free kicks: Rochdale 17 Macclesfield 7
Offside: Rochdale 5 Macclesfield 1
Corners: Rochdale 4 Macclesfield 4 

Referee: G Salisbury