Burton Albion 1 - 0 Rochdale

Dale boss Keith Hill was left fuming with referee Seb Stockbridge after the rookie official sent skipper Peter Cavanagh off after just seven minutes. ‘Cav’ saw a straight red card after an innocuous looking challenge on Albion’s Robbie Weir.

To rub salt into the wound, Dale’s Olly Lancashire scored an own goal two minutes before half time to give the three points to Burton.

Hill named an unchanged line-up from the opening day victory over Hartlepool but his tactics went out the window almost from kick off. Within 30 seconds of the start, Cavanagh caught Weir in the face as both players challenged for the ball meaning the home side were temporarily reduced to 10 men whilst he received a stitch or two from the doctor.

The game’s main talking point came in the seventh minute with Cavanagh’s straight red card. The Dale captain appeared to try and control a ball that came over his head only to catch Weir once again with referee Stockbridge reaching for his pocket, much to the amazement of almost everybody inside the Pirelli Stadium.

With Dale adjusting to the sending off, Burton set about making their numerical advantage count; but in the main failed to do so.

Weir had a shot blocked by Lancashire in the closest the hosts came to breaching Lillis’ goal.

That was until the 43rd minute. Good work by Billy Kee saw the striker slide a ball through to former Dale striker Rene Howe but before the big striker could latch onto it, Lancashire slid in and inadvertently turned the ball past Lillis for 1-0.

It was a bitter blow to Hill’s men as they had defended resolutely up until that point.

Hill brought on Andrew Tutte and Matt Done at the start of the second half in place of the tiring Scott Hogan and the already cautioned Ian Henderson.

The game was still mainly one way traffic but Lillis was rarely troubled. Kee fired wide after he did well to get into the area whilst Hussey will feel he should have done better with a free header.

Dale’s forays forward were few and far between; Donnelly having a few snap shots wide, although one was agonisingly over the bar after a driving run by Tutte.

As the game neared its end, Burton’s extra man started to show as Dale became a little stretched.

Sharps headed over after a succession of corners whilst Michael Symes, who had a three month loan spell at Spotland last year, fired over from six yards.

Although it’s now back-to-back defeats for Hill’s men, the Dale boss won’t be too worried as performances suggest the wins will come.

Hill spoke about the sending off after the game: “I haven’t really got any thoughts without getting fined (by the Football Association).

"We are just asking for a certain standard. We just want the referees to perform to the same standards we expect our players to.

"The first game of the season we had a referee in his first Football League game. Today we had a referee in his second Football League game.

"The result will stand but the referee’s decision will be lost in the history books. It won’t have an impact on the referee, the assessor, the football association.

"Gary Rowett (Burton manager) was equally dismayed at the decision as well as other decisions made by the referee throughout the game, as I was. Decisions for us and against us.

His [the referee] performance wasn’t acceptable and its making the Referee's Association look a little bit silly, which is unfortunate as I think they do a good job.

"I haven’t spoken to the referee yet but I will do."

Attendance: 2679

Rochdale: Lillis, Rafferty, Lancashire, Eastham, Rose, Henderson (Tutte 46), Cavanagh (c), Lund, Vincenti (Bunney 70), Hogan (Done 46), Donnelly
Subs: (not used) Thomson, Hery, O’Connell, Allen,

Burton: Pickford, Delap, Sharps, Holness, McCrory, McGurk, Weir, Bell (c), Hussey, Howe (MacDonald 73), Kee (Symes 82)
Subs: (Not used) Lyness, Edwards, Reed, Knowles, Palmer

Referee: Mr S Stockbridge
Assistant Referees: Mr W Grunnill & Mr D Strain
Fourth Official: Mr D Benton