A point gained from another poor show

David Perkins fires in a shot; one of few for Rochdale

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Barnet 0
Rochdale 0

Another point but another poor performance; it was a familiar story for Rochdale during their latest game at Barnet. Following similar displays away at Hereford and at home to M K Dons, Dale again undeservedly added to their points tally after holding Barnet to a goalless draw. Barnet were much the better side and could have sewn up the game before half time if their finishing had been anywhere near as good as some of their build-up play.

The positives for Dale were minimal; the point gained is of course a massive plus given the way that they played and a first clean sheet of the season will bring confidence to a defence that has been rocked on more than one occasion thus far.

Of the individual performances, one could only look at the back five for decent ones. Goalkeeper James Spencer was solid, without ever really having to make a save thanks to the wayward shooting of the home side. The stand out man was Guy Branston, who was as strong and robust as his appearance and on more than one occasion he was well positioned in the box to put in a vital interception. Newboy Kelvin Lomax, on loan from Oldham, also impressed up against Barnet's best player in Jason Puncheon and on the opposite flank Tom Kennedy continued his start to the season that has made him Dale's most consistent performer.

Attack-wise Dale were awful, their 4-3-3 formation failing to click into any sort of rhythm. The midfield three were too often isolated, leaving the ball over the top as Dale's only option and when those tactics are force Dale need Glenn Murray to be well on his game winning things up top; Murray was far from on his game and was superbly marshalled by Barnet's Ismail Yakubu.

Yet for all this Dale mustered as many shots on target as the home side. It has to be said that Barnet produced way, way more shots off target, such was their inability to find the target, but it might also be said that Dale's were the better chances. Towards the end of the first half Chris Dagnall struck a volley straight at Lee Harrison when in on goal and towards the end of the second, Harrison again denied the Dale striker, this time with a superb save to keep out Dagnall's downward header.

In between times the game was all about Barnet but the longer it went on and the more Barnet continued to waste opportunities to turn their at times excellent football into something more than a product pleasing on the eye, the more Dale saw gaps into which they could break at the other end, particularly after Keith Hill abandoned the 4-3-3 formation to introduce wingers with twenty minutes to go. It was a game Barnet should have won comfortably but in the end might somehow have lost.

The win might have become truth for Dale if the referee had pointed to the penalty spot, as manager Keith Hill was convinced he should have done, when Dagnall went clear and was upended in the box by a sliding Yakubu; the referee saw nothing in it. It was certainly a more viable penalty claim than Rory Prendergast's later attempt, flinging himself over in the box and claiming foul, the referee almost laughed away the claims and Prendergast was fortunate not to be booked.

For Barnet, front men Anthony Thomas and Adam Birchall linked up well, particularly in the Bees good start to the game and they were able to carve open the Dale defence open at will with the help of star prospect Jason Puncheon. Dale were fortunate that the two strikers had left their goalscoring boots in the dressing room. Thomas latched onto a ball over the top in the opening stages and should have done better than to fire straight at Spencer. The long ball was catching the Dale defence out but there was also little they could do to combat the fine Barnet football taking place in front of them but the home side continued to waste chances.

Birchall blazed over on the volley from Thomas' chest down inside the box and Birchall was guilty once more as he scuffed after another flowing attack. Other chances were either wasted or denied by some decent last ditch defending. Neal Bishop was next to test the stability of the fencing behind the goal after he shot following more good box work by Thomas.

The home side pushed up in the second but seemed to run out of ideas, knowing that they should already have held certainly a narrow if not more comfortable lead. The ball spent the majority of its time in the Dale half but the only real chances passed without James Spencer having to make a save. The closest Barnet came was when James Puncheon's free kick was deflected slightly onto the outside of the post.

Barnet's high line meant that Dale might have some joy on the counter attack but they suffered a lack of ideas in the final third and the Barnet defenders were all winning their individual battles against the Dale forwards, none more so than Yakubu against the hapless Murray.

The game meandered towards its eventual conclusion; Barnet knew that the first half missed chances had cost them, whilst Dale might well have taken a point before the game had kicked off, their 'no fear' mentality and willingness to attack sides has left them with the season's start. It needs to return; fortunate goalless draws at Barnet will only get them so far, or indeed if they continue to play like this, not very far at all.

Attendance: 2040

Barnet: Harrison, Devera, Yakubu, Burton, Gillet, Wright, Bishop, Porter (Nicolau 82), Puncheon, Thomas (Hatch 61), Birchall (Norville 61).
Subs not used: Beckwith, O'Cearuill

Rochdale: Spencer, Lomax, McArdle, Branston, Kennedy, Doolan (Prendergast 65), Jones, Perkins, Dagnall, Le Fondre (Muirhead 65), Murray.
Subs not used: Russell, Higginbotham, Crooks.

Attempts (on target): Barnet 12 (4) Rochdale 5 (4)
Freekicks: Barnet 22 Rochdale 14
Offside: Barnet 4 Rochdale 9
Corners: Barnet 7 Rochdale 2

Referee: F Graham.