Rochdale 0 Gillingham 0 (Full Time Report)

Photo: Jon Coluccio

Dale fans keep the flag flying ahead of kick off.

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Rochdale and Gillingham go into Sunday’s second play-off leg locked tight after a goalless opening encounter at Spotland,

Both sides cancelled each other out for the most part and although Dale had far more efforts on goal they did not quite do enough to take a lead to the Priestfield Stadium.

Chris Dagnall came closest for the home side when he forced Simon Royce into a fine low save at his near post midway through the second half. Gillingham only had two shots all evening but both tested Frank Fielding as he scrambled Andy Barcham’s close range effort off the line in first half injury time and then palmed Stuart Lewis’ well struck second half effort away.

After a quiet opening it was the home side who had the first pot shots at goal. Adam Rundle struck both of them, the first took a deflection to earn Dale’s first corner, while the second was fired well over the top.

Gillingham grew into the game and looked to take a stranglehold on possession. They were quicker to settle into proceedings but it was Dale firing in the shots and Will Buckley was next to try his luck from the edge of the box, drilling a low left footer just wide of the far post.

Dale continued to enjoy all of the attempts on goal but there was nothing to trouble Simon Royce. Tom Kennedy hit a free kick well over the crossbar and then Lee Thorpe fired a looping header narrowly past the post after latching onto Simon Ramsden’s deep cross.

With the half drawing to a close Dale had a goal ruled out for offside as Will Buckley gathered Thorpe’s shot on the turn following a corner, and got past Royce to finish, but the linesman’s flag was already raised.

The visitors came closest to breaking the deadlock when Andy Barcham’s close range miscued effort was scrambled off the line by Dale keeper Frank Fielding. Barcham latched onto Dennis Oli’s low cross at the back post and looked certain to put his side ahead but fluffed his lines and Fielding was able to save.

Into the second half and Dale began to find their range. Gary Jones tested Royce with a shot destined for the top corner before the goalkeeper intervened. Jones latched onto a half cleared Rundle cross to hit Dale’s first attempt on target.

The tempo, lacking in the first half, was considerably increased and there was a greater sense that Dale were out to take a lead into the second leg. Thorpe put a diving header on Rundle’s cross well over the top.

The game remained too tight to call and with Will Buckley struggling to provide the spark for Dale, Keith Hill replaced the young talent for Joe Thompson in the hope of adding extra bite to the Dale midfield. The change came close to giving the home side the lead as Le Fondre released Thompson into the box but the winger drilled his effort well wide of the near post.

Mark Stimson responded with a change of his own, hauling off top goal scorer Simeon Jackson in favour of another big man up front in the form of Mark McCammon.

The change gave Gillingham extra presence in the box and they pushed for a winner to take back to the Priestfield Stadium on Sunday. McCammon came close himself as he looked to latch onto Barcham’s blocked shot at the back post. Stuart Lewis then tested Fielding from range with a well struck shot that the Blackburn loan keeper did well to turn behind.

Royce then made a fine save of his own but it was not spotted by the referee. Thompson and fellow substitute Chris Dagnall linked superbly for the latter to go clear and Royce turned Dagnall’s near post shot just past the post, only for the referee to give a goalkick.

It was the closest either side came to breaking the deadlock and judging by the first leg of the tie it would take something extra special to split the two sides in three days time. 

Attendance: 4450.

Rochdale: Fielding, Ramsden, Kennedy, Stanton, McArdle, Toner, G. Jones, Rundle, Buckley (Thompson 64), Thorpe, Le Fondre (Dagnall 71).
Subs (not used): M. Jones, Holness, Shaw.

Gillingham: Royce, Fuller, Nutter, Lewis, King, Richards, Jackson (McCammon 66), Wright, Oli (Jarrett 72), Weston, Barcham.
Subs (not used): Bentley, Southall, Julian.

Booked: Nutter, Lewis.

Attempts (on target): Rochdale 13 (3) Gillingham 2 (2)
Free kicks: Rochdale 12 Gillingham 8
Offside: Rochdale 2 Gillingham 2
Corners: Rochdale 7 Gillingham 3