Darlington 0 Rochdale 2 (Buckley 60, O'Grady 81)

Photo: Jon Coluccio

Chris O'Grady lays the ball off.

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Rochdale made hard work of recording their fourth victory in a row but Darlington squandered so many chances that it would almost have been rude not to make them pay.

Will Buckley and Chris O'Grady showed the Darlington forwards what they should have done numerous times, scoring the goals that led to their side's victory.

Dale's goal led a charmed life, with saves, last ditch tackles, clearances off the line and at times outright luck keeping Darlington out. But out they were kept and Dale came on strong late on to do what ultimately matters in a game of football, stick the ball in the back of the net.

The sides went into the half time break goalless despite a plethora of chances.

A rejuvenated Darlington, under caretaker management, missed the better of them and although Kenny Arthur's saves were quite comfortable, the regularity with which he had to make them would have worried Dale boss Keith Hill. And had it not been for a last ditch tackling masterclass from Craig Dawson, Darlington could have found themselves one or two goals to the good.

Dale had one or two chances of their own, not least when they had a goal ruled out for an innocuous looking foul on keeper Russell Hoult. A couple of deflected efforts wide were all else that Dale could muster as the visitors could not reproduce the flowing football that the Dale fans have come to expect in recent weeks.

A fairly even and innocuous start saw the home side generate the better chances as Dale needlessly gave the ball away on a couple of occasions. Kevin Gall squandered a hat-trick of chances as he stung the hands of Arthur, bent a shot wide with the outside of his foot, and then forced Arthur to turn the ball behind as he cut in from the left hand channel.
After the early warning shots Dale got into their stride and a nice flowing move saw Chris Dagnall find Simon Whaley in space on the edge of the box. The winger's shot was true but caught a deflection on the way through to carry it just past Russell Hoult's post. From the first corner Dale won a second and from their Craig Dawson headed the ball as Hoult came to meet it and Whaley volleyed in. The referee, as they so often do, blew for a foul on the keeper.

Darlington were showing few signs of a side stranded at the foot of the league two table and came within inches of opening the scoring as Jamie Devitt drilled a low shot across goal that Arthur palmed out and Dawson did superbly to hook the ball away from a prowling Curtis Main. From the resulting corner Stephen Foster put his free header over the top.

Chances were coming thick and fast and Dale responded with a Chris O'Grady effort from the edge of the box that travelled just past the far post.

More patient buildup from Dale saw Scott Wiseman produce a fine cross that was gathered by Dagnall to shoot on the turn but another deflection narrowly denied the visitors.

It was a good job that Arthur saved his best for the second half as he was forced into a wonder stop to deny Devitt. The winger jinked inside and produced a curling shot destined for the top corner before Arthur somehow turned it over at full stretch. From the resulting corner Whaley turned Main's free header off the line and when the ball was loaded back into the box, Gall was all on his own at the back post but Arthur spread himself and saved with his legs. It was a three minute passage in which the Dale goal led a charmed life to say the least.

The introduction of Will Buckley from the Dale bench opened the game up even more and it seemed only a matter of time before the deadlock was broken.

It seemed the more chances Darlington missed the more likely Dale might grab one and it came from Buckley's third in as many games. Dale won a corner from what was probably their first attack of the second half and from that the ball fell from almost under Hoult's bar to Buckley, who somehow squeezed the ball in at the near post.

It was a goal that was more than harsh on Darlington, but the more the home side had to come out for an equaliser, the more likely Dale were to find a second. A quick fire break saw Buckley release Whaley but Hoult was equal to his effort with a fine save behind.

Darlington pressed and pressed but it was Dale who were now having the better chances as Buckley came within inches of connecting with O'Grady's low cross.

Finally Dale had a period where they looked more settled but still there were more chances. Whaley nearly caught out Russell with a wonder strike but the ball travelled just past the post while at the other end Gall bought a yard in the box but his volley was too firm.

It may have been hard in Darlington, but O'Grady could not look a gift horse in the mouth as Whaley's excellent cross came to him at the back post for a tap in.

Attendance: 1748

Darlington: Hoult, Kane, J. Smith, Foster, Miller, G. Smith, Groves (Dowson 77), Devitt (Convery 70), Bennett, Main, Gall.
Subs (not used): Plummer, Liversedge, Riley, Bains, Barnes.

Rochdale: Arthur, Wiseman, T. Kennedy, Stanton, Dawson, J. Kennedy, Jones, Thompson (Buckley 54), Whaley, O'Grady, Dagnall.
Subs (not used): Edwards, Holness, Spencer, Stevens, Flynn, Rundle.

Attempts (on target): Darlington 15 (7) Rochdale 14 (6)
Free kicks: Darlington 13 Rochdale 9
Offside: Darlington 2 Rochdale 2
Corners: Darlington 8 Rochdale 7