Rochdale 0 - 1 AFC Wimbledon

Back to back home defeats for Rochdale meant boo’s were heard at full time after going down 1-0 against AFC Wimbledon. The Dons started the day rock bottom of the football league, but an early second half goal separated the sides and after Joe Rafferty was dismissed for 2 bookings, there was no way back.

Rhys Bennett made the starting 11 after Blackburn Rovers’ Ryan Edwards returned to his parent club after his loan spell expired in the only change from New Years Day.

The first half was a virtual non event although it was Dale who made any brief openings. Bobby Grant’s 30 yard freekick crashed off the cross bar whilst Andrew Tutte couldn’t beat Sullivan when he found himself in space.

The second half began with the visitors making a change with Jack Midson entering the action and he made the difference for the Dons. Josh Lillis made a fine double save, first from Midson and then the follow up by McCallum.

From the corner though, Dale were made to pay. A defensive clearance wasn’t clinical and when the ball was returned with interest, Paul McCallum was on hand to fire home from 6 yards.

Still reeling from going behind, the home team were really up against it 90 seconds later. Full back Joe Rafferty, who had earlier been booked, dived into a late challenge with Meades and saw a deserved 2nd yellow card.

With the man advantage, The Dons just sat back and repelled any Rochdale onslaught. Gornell was denied by some great defensive blocking by Osano whilst Grant curled wide from 18 yards. Grant played a wonderful through ball but substitute Dele Adebola didn’t have the legs to reach it.

8 defeats in 11 games for Coleman’s men see’s them down in 12th place in League 2 and with the fans starting to talk with their feet, The Dale manager needs to turn around the fortunes of his side before it’s too late.

John Coleman spoke afterwards: "I’m bitterly disappointed for the fans as they deserve better. The first half was poor and we didn’t really hurt them. We hit the bar and forced a save but other than that we were poor.

"In the second half they have come out and put us under a bit of pressure. We haven’t cleared our lines and they scored a soft goal. Then we get a man sent off after a silly challenge and then we’ve huffed and puffed and created nothing.

"I have to ask questions and the first port of call is myself; what could I have done differently? That’s more or less the same team that played against Bradford and Cheltenham. I’ve got to look at the mentality of the players and that is down to me. I train them, I pick them. I’m going to have to make changes but that’s easier said than done. Moving players on his hard enough but bringing players in is just as hard.

"We aren’t blessed with loads of money like Fleetwood or Bristol Rovers. We have to wheel and deal. The lads are in for a hard week this week and some of them unfortunately may find they are out of work by the end of the week but that’s football. The goal probably would have woke us up but to lose Joe (Rafferty) so soon afterwards was the killer blow. He knows he’s been booked and to make a challenge like that is crazy."

Attendance: 2071 

Rochdale: Lillis, McIntyre (Adebola 83), Rafferty, Bennett, P Edwards, Tutte, Kennedy, Cavanagh,Grimes (Donnelly 66), Gornell (Putterill 78), Grant
Subs: (not used) Barry-Murphy, Smith, Craney, Pearson

AFC Wimbledon: Sullivan, Osano, Cummings (Midson 46), Yussuff, Antwi, Mitchel-King ©, Ajala (Kiernan 89), Long, McCallum (Prior 69), Moore, Meades
Subs: (not used) Balkestein, Jaimez-Ruiz, Djilali, Hervell

Referee: Mr K Wright
Assistant Referees: Mr D Plowright & Mr I Siddall
4th Official: Mr N Smith