Rochdale 2 - 3 York City

A spirited second half fight back by Rochdale couldn’t paper over the cracks of a dire first 45 minutes which saw John Coleman’s men go in at the break 3-0 down.

'Keystone Kops’ defending gifted York two goals inside 20 minutes with a third coming soon after.

Dale rallied in the second half and reduced the deficit with a great solo goal from Rhys Bennett and a Bobby Grant penalty. Gornell hit a post for Dale whilst the home side had a shot cleared off the line late on.

On a bitter cold day at Spotland, Rochdale started very slowly and were hit by York early on. York fullback Jamal Fyfield was a thorn in the Dale side all afternoon and whipped in an inviting left wing cross which just wasn’t dealt with by the home defence with Michael Potts on hand to force the ball over the line.

York were the dominant side throughout the first half. Potts fired just wide after another Fyfield cross but Dale did have chances. Kennedy’s dipping volley was superbly tipped over by Ingham whilst Tutte fired into the side netting from an acute angle.

York doubled their lead and again it was poor defending. A headed ball from deep into the Dale box fell to Walker who levered Bennett away and toe poked home to silence a stunned Spotland.

A third goal came before the break with Potts claiming his second of the game. Chambers darting run down the left picked out Potts who clipped the ball over Lillis to effectively seal the game.

The match could have took a different direction had Gornell’s curling effort not come back off the inside of the post and away from goal.

The Dale boss made a change at the interval with George Donnelly replacing the ineffective Adebola. His pace caused a different problem for the visitors but it was a bustling run from centre back Bennett that gave Rochdale a glimmer of a fight back. The young defender picked up on the half way line and strode past four defenders before coolly slotting beyond Ingham.

The goal did rouse the home faithful and they urged their players on. Grant’s snap shot was pushed away in the only real attempt at beaching Ingham’s goal as the York defence stood firm. A moment of madness by visiting goal scoring hero Potts gave Dale a chance to pull another back after the winger barged into Donnelly inside the area. Grant stepped up and sent Ingham the wrong way for his tenth of the season.

The home side went close again near the end with Grant firing wide whilst Ashley Grimes’ free kick was easily gathered by Ingham.

Deep into added time, Ryan Edwards almost snatched a point but his header was cleared off the line.

The defeat is a blow to Dale’s play-off hopes as they drop one place to ninth; still one point outside the top seven.

Coleman spoke afterwards: "We did well after the break and probably deserved to take at least a point from the game, but you cannot give teams a three-goal start and then start playing.

"The damage was done in the first half. I thought York played very well in that first half, one of the best teams we've played here. But we were architects of our own downfall and gave away three of the softest goals I've ever seen.

"I thought their first goal was a fluke and the second goal was a foul. But they got their tails up in the first 20 minutes and looked a decent side.

"We showed in the second half that we are better than them, but the best team doesn't always win the game."


Attendance: 2411

Rochdale: Lillis, P Edwards, Bennett, R Edwards, McIntyre, Cavanaugh, Tutte, Kennedy (Grimes 79), Grant, Gornell, Adebola (Donnelly 46)
Subs: (not used) Rafferty, Barry-Murphy, Pearson, Craney, Smith

York City: Ingham, Smith ©, Parslow, Kerr, Walker (Reed 89), Chambers, Fyfield, Blair, Potts (Challinor 85), Doig, McLaughlin (Oyebanjo 85)
Subs: (not used) Musselwhite, Blanchett, McGurk, Kelly

Referee: O Langford
Assistant Referee: M Dwyer & G Johnson
Fourth Official: M Astley