Accrington 2 (Symes 61, Miles 65) Rochdale 4 (Jones 67, 72, O'Grady 83, Higginbotham 90)

Photo: Jon Coluccio

Accrington v Rochdale - Saturday 20 March 2010

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The most unbelievable of second halves saw Rochdale come from two goals behind to record a remarkable victory at Accrington.

The game looked to be up for the visitors when Billy Kee set up two goals in four minutes with half an hour to play, but a quickfire double for Gary Jones had Dale level within another seven. Red cards for Michael Symes and Jason Taylor arrived before Chris O'Grady gave Dale the lead and then Kallum Higginbotham put the icing on the cake in injury time with a goal from inside his own half.

Rochdale and Accrington go into the half time break goalless after a first half played out in awful conditions on an awful pitch. Chances were few and far between, the home side having the best of them when Michael Symes fired his finish straight into the body of Frank Fielding.

It looked as though one goal would settle it with clear opportunities almost impossible to come by given the pitch, the weather and the way in which the two sides cancelled each other out.

On a pitch that closely resembled the Somme, it was Accrington, accustomed to the state of their own pitch, that applied the pressure early on. A neat move saw involving Billy Kee and Michael Symes saw the latter released and Frank Fielding did well to deflect the striker's shot away.

Accrington were much the better side in the opening 20 minutes, the majority of the game being played in Rochdale's half, but the home side could not add to Symes' early chance. Accrington had a flurry of corners to add to their one opportunity but there was nothing else to test Fielding.

The quality of the pitch was largely responsible for what was a scrappy first half and the game was 35 minutes old before Rochdale had a sniff of goal. Chris O'Grady laid the ball off for Tom Kennedy and his cross was glanced over the top by Joe Thompson.

The visitors continued to build from some shaky foundations and their best chance of the half came after Tom Kennedy whipped a 40 yard pass crossfield to Joe Thompson. Thompson and Scott Wiseman worked the ball to the byline and Thompson cut the ball back for Jason Kennedy, who got his finish horribly wrong, screwing the ball over the top for eight yards.

Accrington continued to play what little football there was to offer at the start of the second half but it was Dale who crafted the first chance of the half. Jason Taylor put O'Grady in the clear. The ball spun wide and although O'Grady got to the ball ahead of Dean Bouzanis, he was forced almost to the touchline before he could cross. Thompson rose highest but his header was weak and straight at the repositioned goalkeeper.

The visitors were much stronger in possession in the second half but increasingly it looked as though it would take something extra special from either side, or a mistake, for one of the two sides to take the lead. The mistake came, and it was made by the Rochdale backline as they tried to play Kee offside, he was clearly level, and a ball inside left Symes with all the time in the world to finish.

Minutes later and Accrington had a second via another neat finish, this time from John Miles as Kee again unlocked the Rochdale backdoor

All of a sudden it was raining goals at the Crown Ground. Gary Jones pulled one back for Dale as O'Grady broke into the box and cut the ball back for the skipper, who could not miss from four yards.

From being out if, the visitors thought they were right back in it when O'Grady's shot spun off the keeper and Thompson put the ball into the net from just a yard out, only for the goal to be chalked off for offside.

It did not take long for the equaliser as Dale found another two gears after struggling to get out of first for more than an hour. The ball came for the immense Jones on the edge of the box and his shot took a wicked deflection to completely wrong-foot Bouzanis and find the net.

From a first half that had offered next to nothing, it was almost impossible to keep up with events in the second. A double sending off was next on the agenda as Symes clashed with Jason Taylor on the halfway line. The ball was nowhere to be seen as the two grappled on the floor and when the melee was finally sorted out the referee decided that the fairest thing to do would be to send both players for an early bath.

There was hardly time to draw breath as Dale took the lead and Accrington went from comfort zone to lost boys. Dale broke into the Accrington box again, a Chris Dagnall shot was blocked but Kallum Higginbotham, on as super sub, found O'Grady and he finished low into the corner.

The visitors coped far better with ten men and Accrington could do little to force their way back into the game. Some late pressure was quelled and Higginbotham stole the show with a goal from just inside his own half as a kick from Bouzanis struck Dagnall in the face. The ball broke for the young substitute on the halfway line near the touchline and he struck a half volley that was in the net as soon as it left his foot, sailing into the middle of the goal.

Accrington: Bouzanis, Kempson, Procter, Miles (Grant 79), Joyce (Turner 79), Kee, Edwards, Ryan, Winnard, Symes, Lees.
Subs (not used): Dunbavin, McConville, Mullin, McCarten, Flynn.

Booked: Joyce.

Sent off: Symes.

Rochdale: Fielding, Wiseman, T. Kennedy, Stanton, McArdle, J.Kennedy (Higginbotham 63), Jones, Taylor, Thompson (Toner 79), O'Grady, Dagnall.
Subs (not used): Arthur, Holness, Dawson, Flynn, Obadeyi.

Booked: Dagnall

Sent off: Taylor.

Attempts (on target): Accrington 10 (3) Rochdale 14 (7)
Freekicks: Accrington 16 Rochdale 14
Offside: Accrington 2 Rochdale 3
Corners: Accrington 3 Rochdale 5

Referee: G. Salisbury.