Red mist and missed pens but Dale win again

Rochdale 2 (Murray, Dagnall pen )
Hartlepool United 0

Rochdale’s faint play-off hopes finally came to an end despite a magnificent victory in their final home game of the season against league leaders Hartlepool. The visitors brought over 3000 fans to Spotland but Rochdale spoiled the party for the title-chasers, who had lost top spot to Walsall by the end of the afternoon. Bristol Rovers’ victory over Swindon means that Dale will have nothing to play for when they visit Peterborough next weekend.

This game had everything and was a magnificent spectacle for the 5,846 in attendance as the two teams went all out for victory. The two-nil score line does little to tell the full story of the match, as chances galore were spurned by both sides, three men were sent off and two penalties were missed, whilst another one was scored by Dale striker Chris Dagnall to double his side’s lead midway through the second half.

The opening period was a tremendous advert for League Two football but other than Glenn Murray’s early opener both sides could not complement excellent attacking football with competent finishing. Murray scored in the second minute, a clear statement of intent that Rochdale were not prepared to let Hartlepool invade their town and march confidently home with both hands on the league title. Murray capitalised when Hartlepool keeper Dimi Konstantopoulos inexcusably spilled Dagnall’s tame shot, leaving Rochdale’s top scorer to settle himself before finishing calmly into the bottom left corner of the goal.

From there the game took off. Matthew Gilks gave the home fans a fine send off, assuming he leaves the club as expected, or feared by the Dale fans, in the summer, by consistently thwarting any of the flowing Hartlepool attacks that ended with shots on goal. He was first called into action when Pools sought an immediate comeback to their early setback. Darren Williams’ cross found Ritchie Barker at the back post with plenty of time to control and shoot but Gilks appeared as a huge target in front of him and blocked the shot.

Barker was denied once more when Gilks kept out his penalty. The referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot when a combination of Lee Crooks and Simon Ramsden felled James Brown but Gilks guessed right and palmed the spot kick away as he dived to his left.

For the fans viewing things from the sides of the pitch the game was like watching a tennis match as its end-to-end nature continued. Rochdale had the chance to fully capitalise on Barker’s poor penalty when they won a spot kick of their own, following Michael Nelson’s foul on Murray, but Adam Rundle’s effort was even worse and Konstantopoulos saved it with his legs.

The game finally settled but the chances did not dry up for either side. John Doolan got an excellent foot in to deny Ritchie Humphreys as he marched into the six yard box after he and Barker had carved the Dale defence open, before Barker’s snap shot from the edge of the box fizzed narrowly over the crossbar.

Rochdale missed the best of the chances to take a two-goal lead into the half time interval. Dagnall outpaced and out-strengthened Nelson and raced into the Hartlepool box, he cut the ball back for Murray, who put the ball wide when a goal was the much easier outcome.

With the full vocal backing of the travelling hoards, the visitors began the second half strongly but again they had Matthew Gilks to compete with when it came to levelling the score line. Dale were outstretched as the Hartlepool numbers poured forward and Humphreys was played in on goal but Gilks was out quickly to smother the striker’s shot. Humphreys was again denied as Gilks continued to play sweeper behind his defence, this time coming to the rescue when a long ball caught out Rory McArdle.

The home side emerged from the early half Alamo in tact and looked to take full advantage. Chris Dagnall mugged Gary Liddle of possession on the by-line and drilled a low shot against the post from a tight angle. The ball came out to Murray but he was unbalanced and hit a tame shot at Konstantopoulos.

Dale were fast on the counter attack as they looked to capitalise when Hartlepool moves broke down and they finally had their second after they won a corner on the break. Barker’s disappointing afternoon was about to get worse when Simon Ramsden fired the loose ball towards goal and the Hartlepool striker compounded his missed penalty of earlier by conceding one as he stuck out a hand to prevent the ball from going into the net. Barker was promptly sent off, Dagnall took over penalty taking duties and put the ball low into the right hand corner.

All of which seemed to be a bit too much for Hartlepool. They were not going to give up their league leadership without a fight but Andy Monkhouse took that all too literally when he dived in two footed on Glenn Murray and then seemed to elbow David Perkins on a brief one man rampage. A full-blown melee between both sets of players soon followed. John Doolan reacted badly to Monkhouse’s antics and he struck out at the Hartlepool midfielder with the red mist having descended on both players, which left the referee with no choice but to send the two off when things finally calmed down.

Man of the match – David Perkins – Without a doubt the most successful of the Dale management team’s first batch of signings. The tenacious tackler, who became a skilful and flowing midfielder when on the ball has been a revelation and it is no surprise that scouts have been flocking to Spotland to see what the fuss is all about. It said it all when even the match sponsors, who were Hartlepool fans, voted for him as man of the match.

Attendance: 5,846

Rochdale: Gilks, Ramsden, Crooks, McArdle, Goodall, Thompson, Doolan, Perkins, Rundle, Dagnall (Brown 84), Murray.
Subs not used: Rigby, Poole, Dodds, Reet.

Booked: Goodall, Murray

Sent Off: Doolan

Hartlepool: Konstantopoulos, D. Williams, Nelson (Sweeney 31), Tinkler, Humphreys, Brown, Liddle, Boland (Porter 66), Monkhouse, E. Williams (Foley 58), Barker.
Subs not used: Provett, Bullock.

Booked: Liddle, Porter.

Sent Off: Barker, Monkhouse.

Attempts (on target): Rochdale 13 (7) Hartlepool 12 (4)
Freekicks: Rochdale 12 Hartlepool 17
Offside: Rochdale 2 Hartlepool 5
Corners: Rochdale 5 Hartlepool 7

Referee: D. Whitestone.