Referee ensures goals at Spotland

Hereford United kick off the game

Rochdale 1 Hereford United 1

There was late drama at Spotland in Rochdale’s home game against Hereford United, as referee Colin Webster awarded controversial last minute penalty kicks to both sides. It looked as though Dale would come unstuck when Webster adjudged that new Rochdale centre half James Sharp had felled Andrew Williams, but the official then awarded Dale an even more controversial spot kick for a tug on Morike Sako. Gary Jones converted to give his side a share of the spoils.

The new-look Dale outfit bossed the game throughout against a Hereford side that came with a distinct game plan: to get ten men behind the ball and look to hit Dale on the break. It seldom looked like paying off as Dale were encamped in the Hereford half throughout but as they continued to squander opportunities it looked as though the home side would not get the three points their best performance of the season deserved and then Dale were fortunate to rescue a point after the late antics of Webster.

Rochdale began the game strongly and exerted severe pressure on a Hereford side that was distinctly lacking in creativity. With new signing and man-of-the-match Morike Sako leading the line, Dale looked a changed side from previous weeks. With Rickie Lambert having moved to Bristol Rovers on transfer deadline day this week, Dale fans perhaps turned up at Spotland expecting the worst, but the performance of Sako, and improved display of the entire team, meant that Lambert was seldom missed.

Steve Parkin said after the game how pleased he was following a tough week for the club: “It has been a very tough week because the weather has made it difficult with the training facilities and we have brought new faces in. Then on Thursday we lost Rickie Lambert and there is no getting away from the fact it was a blow. So to get a performance like that today you cannot ask for any more.”

Sako was into his long stride from an early stage, winning Gilks’ long kick in the air, flicking it on for Dagnall, who returned the ball for the tall forward to volley inches past the outside of the post. Sako was at the heart of Dale’s good start, winning everything in the air, whilst showing a great touch on the deck to bring the midfield into attacks, an element of Rochdale’s play that had been distinctly lacking so far this term.

It was not the only positive element of Rochdale’s afternoon; off the pitch, Steve Parkin was displaying a renewed enthusiasm, he was forever barking instructions from the dugout and seemed to kick every ball as his side continued to bombard the visitors.

Dale’s good start was almost undone when Hereford were presented with their only clear chance of the game. Andy Williams made his way too easily past Nathan Stanton and bore down on Matthew Gilks’ goal, only for a covering Simon Ramsden to slide in and knick the ball from Williams’ foot, as he was about to finish.

Having survived the scare, Dale continued to press and displayed some excellent combinations on the edge of the Hereford box, allowing space for Blackburn loanee Keith Barker and Chris Dagnall to get two shots away but the two forwards could not find their range, drilling both efforts well wide, but it seemed only a matter of time before Scott Tynan was tested in the Hereford goal.

Dale continued to dominate with Jon Doolan bossing proceedings in the centre of the park. Doolan was showing renewed confidence, constantly looking for the ball and building Dale’s attacks by feeding it into the feet of Sako and out wide for the full backs to run onto. It was Doolan who first tested Tynan after good work by Ernie Cooksey to push the ball into Doolan’s path. Doolan drew a spectacular save from Tynan with his curled attempt.

The half time whistle brought applause from the home fans after seeing their side exert sustained pressure on the visitors; if they could maintain the pressure Dale would surely find the net and secure their first victory as Hereford looked incapable of creating anything at the other end, their hopeless long balls consistently skidding through on the wet surface.

Rochdale were slow in re-exerting themselves in the second period but there was little Hereford could do about it; such was their over-defensive style. Dale were soon back on top and should have opened the scoring when Stanton’s powerful long ball was superbly controlled by Barker, the forward perhaps had more time than he thought as he snatched his volley over the bar.

With so many men behind the ball, the Dale defence continued to push up and attack the Hereford defence themselves. Nathan Stanton raced into the Hereford half and unleashed a powerful shot that Tynan could only collect at the second attempt.

Goodall was the next defender to foray deep into the Hereford half and Dale should have scored after his good work in getting to the by-line on the left. Goodall pulled the ball back for an unmarked Sako but the forward could only hit the crossbar on the stretch.

Two second half changes gave Dale added impetus and soon after, their best move of the game nearly gave them the opener. Sako did brilliantly, holding up the ball and beating two men before feeding substitute, Gary Jones on the right. Ramsden made the overlapping run and Jones laid the ball off for the advancing full back to whip a superb ball across the six yard box, but the ball evaded second sub, Clive Modise at the far post.

Dale continued to push for a winning goal; Goodall forced a corner after beating two men and getting to the by-line; but there was an increasing sense that the goal simply was not going to come.

Then disaster struck with the game almost at an end, as Hereford were awarded a soft penalty when Sharp felled Williams. Rob Purdie dispatched the spot kick to give the score line a most unfair reflection. Steve Parkin spoke of how despondent he felt after the Hereford penalty was awarded: “I was beginning to wonder when they got the penalty whether there is any justice in the game after all the work you put in and getting the players organised, if it ever pays off.”

Four minutes of injury time were announced and Dale pushed for the equaliser. The referee, having seemingly taken everything away from Rochdale by giving the penalty, then gave it back to the home side by awarding an inexplicable penalty for the home side. Jones scored the equaliser on his return to penalty taking duty. The referee had unfairly served to prevent what would have been a blatant case of daylight robbery at Spotland. Did he give Dale the late spot-kick because he had made a mistake at the other end?

Steve Parkin said how pleased he was with the efforts of his players after the game: “It was a performance with energy and effort and we created some great opportunities. If we keep playing like that week in week out then our luck has to change.

“The players must take credit for the way they played and so too must the supporters who got right behind us and enjoyed what they saw.”