Rochdale 2 - 0 Charlton Athletic

Rochdale 2 - 0 Charlton Athletic
Craig Dawson bundles home Dale's second goal

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Rochdale moved to within five points of the play-off places with a 2-0 win over Charlton Athletic at Spotland.

Jason Kennedy volleyed the first from 22 yards 10 minutes before the interval; Craig Dawson bundled home his eighth of the season midway through the second half.

Keith Hill named an unchanged side to that which beat Hartlepool last Friday. Brian Barry-Murphy returned to the squad after missing the trip to Victoria Park with back spasms.

The last time these two sides met was in a FA Cup clash back in 2005 when Charlton were a Premier League side and Dale in League Two. Fast forward six years and these sides were meeting on a level playing field in the league for the first time since 1974.

The visitors started very brightly, home stopper Owain Fon Williams keeping Powell’s side at bay with a low stop to his right.

Dale’s first sight at goal came when a neat lay off by O’Grady picked out Done but the striker blazed over from inside the area.

Keith Hill’s side were playing the better football and when Atkinson jinked into the area and the defender slipped, expectations rose around Spotland but Atkinson dwelled too long before crossing and the chance went.

Since Joe Widdowson picked up a bug, Robbie Williams has made the left back slot his own and looked strong, but when he tried to run the ball out for a goal kick, he was robbed by Wagstaff, who in turn fed Anyinsah but Fon Williams got down smartly to deny him and the rebound fell to Wright-Phillips whose shot was blocked.

With just over half an hour on the clock Dale opened the scoring. Craig Dawson sent a raking 70 yard pass with pin point accuracy to Atkinson whose cross Jose Semedo  headed clear but only as far as Kennedy who volleyed home from 22 yards leaving Elliott rooted to the spot.

The goal rocked the visitors and Hill’s men pushed for more.

Matt Done perhaps should have doubled the lead when he and O’Grady linked well but Done’s shot dragged wide.

Will Atkinson and Nicky Adams tried to hit Charlton on the counter attack as the clock struck 45 but good defending denied the home duo.

The visitors must have had a rocket from boss Powell during the half time break as they came out looking to hit back.

Paul Benson, on for the ineffective Joe Anyinsah, caused Dale no end of problems but Fon Williams was equal to anything he could throw.

Wagstaff and Benson linked well on the edge of the box but the substitute’s volley was superbly tipped over by the Dale keeper.

Racon saw his goal bound shot deflect wide off Holness, whilst Fon Williams tipped another Benson effort over, again after he and Wagstaff linked up.

With the visitors pushing for an equaliser, they left space at the back for Dale to exploit. O’Grady did one of his trademark turns on the by-line but Dale sub Joe Thompson couldn’t turn his cross home.

The home faithful didn’t have long to wait though before Dale doubled their advantage.

Jean Louis Akpa-Akpro’s first touch earned Hill’s men a corner. Done whipped in a low corner from the left; Thompson’s effort was blocked but Dawson was on hand to bundle the ball home from three yards.

With a two goal cushion, Dale sat back and soaked up the Charlton pressure with Racon testing Fon Williams and Wright-Phillips going close twice.

Even when Fon Williams was beaten, Dawson was on hand to clear the danger.

It was a magnificent win against a side that were expected to be challenging for promotion but look likely to be staying in League One next season, whilst Dale could possibly be dreaming of reaching those end of season play-offs.

League leaders Brighton are next to visit Spotland and the return of former hero Glenn Murray.

Keith Hill said after the game: “While you’re still in it (the play-offs) you can make an impact. Looking at the teams that we have still got to play, we can make an impact on their season and they can impact ours.

"As soon as you start to look too far ahead of yourself, then you get lost. The players get lost, the fans start believing you can over-achieve again and it can spiral out of control and we don’t want that to happen.

"We have taken advantage of another game in hand tonight.

They are an excellent side and you can see with the players they have got at their disposal, they should really be in the top six. They created some good opportunities, but we have been quite resolute at the back.

"Whoever scored the first goal had an advantage but a 45 minute clean sheet gives you one hell of a foundation to work on.

"They came out second half, put us under pressure and caused us problems but we defended really well.

"The difference is we put our chances away.

"It’s difficult to judge who was man of the match as I thought they were all excellent, they all do a job, they all have a function in the team.

"We are in a dream but when dreaming you can give yourself a sharp shudder and we have had a couple of reality checks this season.

"It’s progression and the Chairman said to me before the game that no team has been relegated with 57 points and we have now got the 57 points on the board!

"I think there is still more in this team, definately more to come and we have to prepare for the games we have got left.

"There are no failures from this season absolutely none.

"Saturday will be the easiest game of the calendar for us as we aren’t expected to get anything from the game. They (Brighton) were always my favourites for promotion.”

Attendance: 2589

Rochdale: Fon Williams, Wiseman, Dawson, Holness, Williams, Jones (c), Kennedy, Atkinson (Joe Thompson 61) , Adams (Akpa-Akpro 75), Done, O'Grady,

Subs (not used): Edwards, Josh Thompson, Dickinson, Barry-Murphy, Widdowson

Charlton Athletic: Elliott, Llera, Semedo (Stewart 83), Wagstaff (Eccleston 76), Racon, Wright-Phillips, Solly, Bessone, Parrett, Anyinsah (Benson 54), Dailly (c).

Subs (not used): Francis, Doherty, Fortune, Sullivan

Referee: E Ilderton
Assistant Referees: K Mattocks & D P Meeson
Fourth Official: P Graham