Northampton 1 (Gilligan 64) Rochdale 2 (O'Grady 19, Buckley 68)

Photo: Jon Coluccio

Buckley celebrates after scoring a stunning winner for Dale.

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Will Buckley's sublime goal gave Rochdale their first away win of the season.

Dale were ahead at the break and looking comfortable after Chris O'Grady grabbed his first goal for the club, set up expertly by Buckley, who ended the game having provided the end product that Keith Hill had been craving.

Buoyed at half-time, the home side came on strong at the start of the second half and drew level through Ryan Gilligan's well struck shot at the back post. But Dale were not to be undone and they hit back through the unstoppable Buckley who skipped inside two defenders and unleashed a strike into the top corner from the edge of the box.

Although there were nervous times for the Dale backline in the second half, not least when Steve Guinan's header came back off the crossbar, the visitors were good value for the win against a Northampton side clearly low on confidence having now lost their last four games.

Dale bossed proceedings in the opening half hour, settling on the ball and playing almost like a home side such was their dominance of the possession. Northampton's play was built around the impressive Ben Marshall, but too often his colleagues were not on his wavelength and rare attacks soon petered out.

Dale could have had more, and not had to survive the late tension, but fine displays from Jason Kennedy and Craig Dawson in particular ensured that the visitors hung on.

An entertaining game in fairness didn't bring many clear cut chances for either side. Buckley, O'Grady and Chris Dagnall could all have added to Dale's tally, while Adebayo Akinfenwa was troublesome leading the line for Northampton but he could never make anything out of the odd half chance that came his way.

Blocks, skirmishes and last ditch tackles were at times the order of the day for Dale, especially near the end, and they are yet to reproduce the scintillating football for a full ninety minutes, but there could be few complaints about the outcome of this one.

Dale push themselves into the play-off spots with their first back-to-back victories of the season and can make that three at home to strugglers Hereford next week.

Attendance: 4048

Northampton: Brown, Hinton, Beckwith, Marshall, Osman (Guinan 55), Akinfenwa, Holt, Gilligan, Dyer (Guttridge 46), Curtis, Boden (Mulligan 62).
Subs (not used): Dunn, McKay, Benjamin, Threlfall.

Rochdale: Arthur, Wiseman, T. Kennedy, Stanton, Dawson, J. Kennedy, Jones, Thompson (Whaley 62), Buckley, O'Grady, Dagnall (Stephens 88).
Subs (not used): Spencer, Rundle, Edwards, Flynn, Holness.

Attempts (on target): Northampton 16 (5) Rochdale 11 (7)
Free kicks: Northampton 11 Rochdale 14
Corners: Northampton 6 Rochdale 4

Referee: Sheldrake.