Rochdale 1 - 4 MK Dons

Rochdale 1 - 4 MK Dons

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Rochdale lost their first game of 2011 after going down 4-1 to playoff hopefuls MK Dons. Two quick goals midway through the first half knocked the wind out of Keith Hill's men and a stunning effort by Stephen Gleeson in stoppage time at the end of the first half ended the game as a contest.

Craig Dawson gave the home faithful a glimmer of hope when he smashed home a loose ball from close range before referee Moss awarded a harsh penalty for handball against Marcus Holness with two minutes of the 90 remaining.

Keith Hill made one change to the side that drew with Walsall with Jean Louis Akpa-Akpro replacing Brian Barry-Murphy who dropped to the bench.

Rochdale started the better of the two sides, with Nicky Adams needing to do better from out wide when played in by Kennedy but his cross was wayward.

The majority of the play was in the MK Dons half of the pitch as Hill’s men probed an opening but Matt Done shot across goal when well placed.

The visitors had shown little attacking prowess up to the 15 minute mark but took the lead with their first meaningful attack. A strong run down the right by Powell saw the winger cross for Vine to knock the ball beyond Fon Williams in the Dale goal to break the deadlock.

Rochdale seemed to respond well to going behind and continued to press and Matt Done almost conjured an equaliser with a great piece of skill after he flicked the ball up before hitting a deft volley that beat Martin in the Dons' goal but beat the far post too.

That miss was to prove crucial as seconds later Karl Robinson's men made it 2-0. A long punt up field by Martin found Luke Chadwick and his centre was drilled beyond Fon Williams and into the top corner from 20 yards by Powell.

Even going 2-0 down, Hill's men kept going forward and almost pulled a goal back just minutes later. Adams’ corner was only partially cleared and when the ball was drilled back into the area, Dawson tried to divert the ball goalwards but Martin saved.

At 2-0, Hill would have had his half time team talk all sorted but with virtually the last kick of the first half, the visitors got a third. Another long ball forward was only partially headed away by Holness, with Gleeson having time to take one touch to control before unleashing an unstoppable volley from 20 yards into Fon Williams’ top left hand corner.

The start of the second half had an air of inevitability about it with a 3-0 score but Hill’s men kept the pressure on the Dons defence.

Jones had a snap shot drag wide whilst Dale ripped open the Dons defence when Akpa-Akpro flicked on a high ball to Done but the striker couldn’t get the ball to settle and the keeper smothered with O’Grady firing the loose ball into the ground and over the bar.

Fon Williams had to be alert just after the hour mark when visitors substitute Jabo Ibehre raced onto a Lewington through ball but the Dale stopper raced off his line to block.

With the game petering out, Craig Dawson ‘set the cat amongst the pigeons’ when he got a goal back with nine minutes remaining. Sub Will Atkinson whipped in a left wing corner that hit a Dons defender and Dawson was on hand to smash the ball home from five yards for his fifth of the season.

With the crowd egging them on, the home side pushed forward, Liam Dickinson almost getting through on the right, whilst Atkinson had a chance to reduce the deficit even further when he collected a long ball from Dawson but his shot was weak.

The afternoon got worse for Hill’s men with two minutes remaining when Ibehre’s close range shot was adjudged to have hit Holness’ hand by the referee, with Sam Baldock stepping up to drill the ball down the middle of the goal from the penalty spot.

Dale drop to 13th after suffering their first home defeat since October but another run of results similar to those since the turn of the year and Hill’s men will only be looking up.

Keith Hill spoke after the game: “I was relatively pleased with some of the performances but they were clinical and the better side. Without question they deserved it and that’s not taking anything away from our lads.

"They were the better side in every department but I won’t take anything away from our lads and what they have achieved this season but we weren’t defeated today but not beaten.

"You can see why they are challenging for the playoffs.

"That’s the first defeat at home since Yeovil in the league. I won’t be sleepless tonight after that defeat.

"I’m glad the referee’s decisions towards the end didn’t cost us anything today; there were a few decisions towards the end that I couldn’t understand.

"I’ll accept today, hopefully it was a blip and we will move onto Huddersfield on Tuesday. I would like to strengthen the squad before Tuesday, just to freshen it up a little.”

Attendance: 2837

Rochdale: Fon Williams, Widdowson, Dawson, Holness, Wiseman, Jones (c), J Kennedy, Akpa-Akpro (Atkinson 76), Done, Adams (Dickinson 58), O'Grady.

Subs (Not Used): Edwards, Josh Thompson, Barry-Murphy, Gray

MK Dons: Martin, Woodards, Doumbe, Mackenzie, Lewington (c), Powell, Leven (Hughes 63), Gleeson, Marsh-Brown (Ibehre 61), Vine (Baldock 75), Chadwick

Subs (not used): Searle, Chicksen, Flanagan, Sterling,

Referee: Mr J Moss
Assistant Referees: Mr S J Cook & Mr P Dermott
Fourth Official: Mr D J H England