Le Fondre strike puts Dale into top seven

Rochdale v Bradford

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Rochdale 2 (Perkins 1, Le Fondre 87)
Bradford City 1 (Thorne 60 (pen))

For the third time in as many games a substitute came off the bench to help Rochdale secure three points.

Adam Le Fondre replaced Kallum Higginbotham with the match heading for a stalemate and scored the goal that pushed Rochdale into the play-off positions and helped Dale record their first league double over Bradford since 1965.

The game was a great advert for lower league football with both sides pushing for victory.

David Perkins opened the scoring for Rochdale inside the opening thirty seconds but Bradford drew level through Peter Thorne’s penalty, after Joe Colbeck was felled in the box by Tom Kennedy.

The entertaining game was destined for a draw before Le Fondre latched on to Lee Thorpe’s flick on and drilled the ball across goal and in via the far post.

“It was a great game,” said Rochdale manager Keith Hill. “I felt it was like a cup match to be honest.

“We ask for heroes to rise to the occasion and today it was Adam Le Fondre’s turn.

“We talk about opportunities and this is another one taken. The players gave everything, one to 11, and collectively it was a winning performance.

“We’ve shown a lot of bravery over the last month or so and I hope we’re now out of the losing streak that we had.”

Rochdale made a dream start after the visitors failed to clear their lines and David Perkins latched onto the loose ball in the penalty and rifled a shot beyond Scott Loach.

Bradford came close to an equaliser with a free-kick routine straight from the training ground. Eddie Johnson was free inside in the area after he broke away from the free-kick takers and Rochdale were saved by the post when Johnson’s shot struck the upright.

The open game brought plenty of chances for both sides, with the teams registering a total of thirty shots on goal between them.

Rochdale created the majority of them but the visitors were always a threat, with Barry Conlon winning everything in the air up front.

Lee Thorpe fired a header just wide from Simon Ramsden’s free-kick for the home side and Perkins, who once again shone in Dale’s midfield, blazed a couple of long range efforts wide of the target when well placed.

Tom Kennedy hit a well struck free-kick straight at the keeper before Adam Rundle failed to find the target from the edge of the box after good work by Kallum Higginbotham, who returned to the Dale side after a couple of weeks out through injury.

Bradford’s willingness to attack brought its just rewards in the second half. They had shown endeavour throughout and although Rochdale’s chances had been the better, no-one would begrudge them their equaliser, which came via the penalty spot after Joe Colbeck was hacked down by Tom Kennedy. Peter Thorne despatched the spot kick convincingly.

Rochdale brought on recent goal hero Chris Dagnall in search of the win and he came close to a goal when he fired just over the bar after he was fed by another of Rochdale’s best players, Adam Rundle.

Rochdale continued to create, responding strongly to Bradford’s equaliser. Thorpe nudged wide after a superb run and cut back from the by-line by Perkins.

Thorpe stole a yard from Dagnall’s touch but chose to shoot instead of feed the better positioned Rundle. The shot was miss-hit and flew well wide.

Rundle almost followed up his goal against Brentford at the weekend but he missed the target after sneaking in at the back post and to get a touch to another deep Ramsden free-kick.

The home side never gave up hope and, after a Perkins wonder-strike had flown inches wide from the edge of the box, they finally scored a second. Thorpe flicked on Ramsden's throw-in and Le Fondre stole in round the back of the Bradford defence and rifled in via the far post.

Despite the late equaliser the action was far from over. Dale nearly secured the points after superb work from Rundle, beating two men and cutting the ball back from the byline, finding Le Fondre, only for him to nudge the ball wide.

Hearts were in the mouths of the home support during stoppage time. Conlan hit the crossbar with a header from Alex Rhodes cross. Perkins cleared for a corner to Bradford and the cross bar was struck once more as Rhodes got on the end of the set piece. Somehow the ball was hacked clear. The referee blew his whistle once the ball was cleared to the relief and delight of the home fans but both sets of supporters had been treated to a fine footballing spectacle.

Attendance: 3,811.

Rochdale: Lee, Ramsden, Stanton, McArdle, Kennedy, Muirhead (Dagnall 58), Jones, Perkins, Rundle, Higginbotham (Le Fondre 79), Thorpe.
Subs not used: Holness, Basham, Button.

Booked: Ramsden, Muirhead, Perkins.

Bradford: Loach, Starosta, Wetherall, Bower, Heckingbottom, Colbeck, Johnson (Moncur 90), Penford, Nix (Rhodes 74), Conlon, Thorne (Medley 80).
Subs not used: Evans, Williams.

Booked: Colbeck.

Attempts (on target): Rochdale 18 (5) Bradford 12 (5)
Free kicks: Rochdale 18 Bradford 25
Offside: Rochdale 9 Bradford 6
Corners: Rochdale 5 Bradford 2

Referee: A. Haines.