Rochdale 0 Cheltenham Town 1 (Alsop 90) – Full Time Report

Photo: Jon Coluccio

Will Buckley holds his head after squandering a first half chance.

16 More Image(s) In Gallery

What goes around came around in the space of three days. Just as Dale were sent into delirium with a last minute winner on Saturday, so they were left scratching their heads at just how they had managed to lose this one.

Dale dominated throughout but there was no cutting edge and they went down to a cruel, cruel winner as Julian Alsop slid in to finish Barry Hayles' cross in the dying minute.

Dale should have led at half time through Chris Dagnall, who volleyed over from six yards as the home side dominated the opening period. Dale pushed again in the second half and most home supporters would have been gutted to have seen the game end goalless, never mind lose out on points altogether through Alsop's sickening winner.

The visitors struck the outside of the post on a rare attack but apart from that it was all Dale in the first half.

Dale survived a couple of early potshots from Elvis Hammond, the first forcing a fine save from Kenny Arthur, before settling to grab the best chance of the opening stages. Joe Thompson's long ball fell kindly for Will Buckley over the head of Shane Duff, but the Dale forward snatched at his shot and drilled the ball over the top.

On twenty minutes Dale had the ball in the net as Scott Brown came for an Adam Rundle free-kick that he was never going to get and Matt Flynn nodded the ball into the empty goal. The goal was chalked off thanks to the raised flag of an eagle eyed linesman.

Slowly but surely the home side began to dominate proceedings with their pace in attack and tenacity in midfield but Cheltenham were just about able to cope with everything flung into their box.

On half an hour Dale carved Cheltenham to pieces and Chris Dagnall should have scored. Adam Rundle provided a stunning cross into the six yard box and all Dagnall had to do was head or volley it home. He chose the latter, and it looked easier to score, but somehow Dagnall fired over.

The visitors should have punished Dale's miss, as David Bird unleashed Justin Richards down the left inside channel. The wide man evaded the challenge of Flynn to go clear but he could only slide his finish off the outside of the far post and wide.

Dale survived and continued to push to the break but despite their brand of football being among the most attractive to have been witnessed at Spotland under Keith Hill, there was no cutting edge and Brown remained untested to the break.

Cheltenham made a brighter start to the second half. Dale remained the dominant side in terms of territory but they struggled to create anything clear cut against a deep lying visiting defence.

Midway through the half Dale's attacks began to turn a bit sluggish and the visitors came more into the game as an attacking force as their forays gathered pace. Kenny Arthur didn't have too much to worry about but the visitors were certainly spending more time in the Dale half.

Dale frustrations continued to grow as both Rundle and Buckley had shots blocked in the box and it seemed as if the goal would never come and whilst it remained nil Cheltenham could always snatch a win. The visitor's chance came as the ball got caught under the feet of the otherwise imperious Craig Dawson and Barry Hayles snatched it off him. One would normally put one's house on a striker of Hayles' experience to finish the chance off but he dragged his shot wide.

Keith Hill looked to liven up the Dale attack through the introduction of Scott Spencer and the change had the desired effect as the home side pushed for a late winner. Spencer was gifted Dale's chance to win it as he sprung the offside trap to latch onto Tom Kennedy's through ball. The striker looked to have squeezed the ball under Brown but the keeper got lucky as the ball bounced up off Brown and into his hands.

It looked as though that was that but somehow Cheltenham stole it at the death. Marcus Holness blotted his copybook with a weak tackle and Hayles marched down the touchline. Dawson was forced to come across and Hayles simply squared for Julian Alsop to slide the ball home. Heartbreak for Dale; at least Dick Turpin had the temerity to wear a mask during his escapades on the road. Cheltenham didn't care as their bench and supporters went delirous at the full time whistle and Dale tasted defeat for the first time this season.

Rochdale: Arthur, Flynn, T. Kennedy, Holness, Dawson, Rundle (Spencer 77), Jones, J. Kennedy, Thompson, Dagnall, Buckley.
Subs (not used): Edwards, Stevens, Shaw, Higginbotham, Wiseman, Brown.

Cheltenham Town: Brown, Diallo, Ridley, Duff, Townsend, Richards, Gallinagh, Bird (Alsop 82), Bozanic, Hammond (Hutton 73), Denton (Hayles 61).
Subs (not used): Richardson, Low, Tabor, Haynes.

Booked: Diallo.

Attempts (on target): Rochdale 12 (5) Cheltenham 9 (4)
Free kicks: Rochdale 14 Cheltenham 14
Offside: Rochdale 4 Cheltenham 3
Corners: Rochdale 8 Cheltenham 0

Referee: A Haines