Rochdale 1–1 Chesterfield

Captain Gary Jones rescued a point for Rochdale to keep Dale outside the bottom 4. Jones slotted past Fleming in the Spireites goal from a Reece Gray pass to earn a point in an otherwise uninspiring performance.

The Rochdale manager made two changes to the side that lost to bottom of the table Exeter at the weekend as he went for experience rather than youth. Veteran Dave Lucas was preferred in goal ahead of young on loan Blackburn keeper Jake Keane whilst Brian Barry-Murphy started in place of Nicky Adams.

The home side, looking to bounce back from Saturday’s disappointing defeat, were forced on the back foot by a high energy Chesterfield side looking to end a run of 5 straight defeats. Alex Mendy headed wide from a corner kick in the first real sight of goal in the game.

Dale should really have taken the lead on 17 minutes when Andrew Tutte played a defence splitting pass to Jean Louis Akpa-Akpro but the Frenchman blasted wildly into the side netting when clean through.

Nathan Eccleston will feel he should have done better when he had a double chance, firstly having a shot clocked and his follow up flashed across the face of goal.

Mendy was a thorn in the Dale side all evening seeing a shot deflected wide whilst his tenacious play set up Westcarr but Lucas pushed the former Nott’s County players shot wide.

Westcarr gave the visitors the lead with 9 minutes remaining of the half when his shot took a wicked deflection off Trotman to give Lucas no chance.

Dale’s reaction to going behind was positive and they almost levelled minutes later. A Barry-Murphy corner was palmed away by Fleming with Grimes drilling the ball back with interest but with a plethora of bodies to beat, his shot appeared to hit Akpa-Akpro and Balkestein’s follow up was blazed over.

Another defensive lapse for Dale almost cost them dear but for some terrific goalkeeping from Lucas. Balkestein needlessly gave the ball away on the half way line with Westcarr racing towards goal before squaring to Clarke. The on loan Swindon man must have thought he had scored but for the heroics of Lucas who blocked the shot at source to deny.

Steve Eyre brought on Nicky Adams for the second half with Akpa-Akpro being replaced.

Holness’ long ball early in the second period caught the Spireites defence out as Eccleston flicked the ball on with Holden intercepting but his header sailing past Fleming who had raced out to narrow the angle but unfortunately the ball drifted wide.

Clarke should have doubled the visitors lead when well placed but he lifted the ball over Lucas aswell as the bar.

The game became very end to end around the hour mark. Balkestein beat Westcarr to a header to tee up a shot but his drilled effort was straight at Fleming.

Westcarr had two sights of goal but curled wide on both occasions although the second looked like it grazed the far post whilst Trotman’s slip on the Chesterfield left flank gave Clarke time to cross but Westcarr sliding in at the far post couldn’t convert.

The visitors would rue their missed opportunities as Rochdale levelled on 74. Substitute Reece Gray played a perfect reverse ball behind the defender and Gary Jones raced onto it to slot beyond Fleming for his 73rd goal in Dale colours.

With Dale back on level terms, they upped the tempo as they went in search of a winner but to no avail. Eccleston couldn’t find the target from distance after a poor kick from Fleming whilst Adams saw his curling effort saved.

It was certainly a point gained for Steve Eyre’s men who has got some work to do on the defensive side of his team before the visit of Leyton Orient at the weekend.

Speaking afterwards, Steve Eyre, said: “In fairness that was one point gained tonight. On the balance of play tonight I will describe myself has satisfied – not pleased but satisfied. When we don’t win matches, I think we can all say we need to do better.

“Jake Kean is a very young goalkeeper and he has done ok for us but I recognised the goals conceded column. Dave (Lucas) is on the staff (goalkeeping coach) and is very experienced but I cannot tell who is the better goalkeeper until I have seen him play in a competitive match. We don’t have a reserve team programme so I had no qualms in starting with Dave tonight. We were beaten by the bottom of the league on Saturday and we told the lads that things needed shaking up. I saw Brain Barry-Murphy & Dave Lucas on Saturday sat on the bench and I thought to myself they have nearly 600 games between them so tonight I went for experience. I was a little disappointed with the clearing header for their goal. You want the ball to drop to one of your players but the knock down fell to one of their lads and the deflection took it in. I don’t think people realise how hard we worked to get back in the game.

“For a period in the second half there was a lull. The crowd went quiet; which they are entitled to do. Then there was a period of frustration. We were brave in bringing our most physically strong player off at half time (Akpa-Akpro) and I felt the game needed Nicky Adams midway through the second half and he was brave. People think bravery is tackles and headers but it also means getting on the ball and running at defenders which Nicky did. I was looking at Reece Gray and thinking you will show me the same bravery so I sent him on and he set up the equaliser with a pass to the one person you would want on the end of a blindside pass; Gary Jones.

“I would have loved another 10 minutes at the end as I think we would have gone on and won. We haven’t settled at any point this season but that’s just 1 defeat in 6.”

Att:2494

Rochdale: Lucas, Trotman, Holness, Balkestein, Darby, Jones (C), Tutte, Grimes, Akpa-Akpro (Adams 46), Barry-Murphy (Gray 67), Eccleston (Kennedy 78)

Subs (not used):Kean, Benali

Chesterfield: Fleming, Talbot (C), Holden, Downes, Grounds, Mendy, Johnson, Whitaker (Clay 87), Smith, Westcarr, Clarke

Subs (not used): Bowery, Allott, Morgan, Randall

Referee: Mr D Drysedale
Ass Referee: Mr PE Curry, Mr S Smith
4th Official: Mr R Bartlett