Port Vale 0 - 1 Rochdale

Rochdale earned a well deserved place in round three of the JPT after a historic win over League One Port Vale. Joe Rafferty’s first ever goal in professional football was enough to see Dale through to the next round and earn a first ever victory away from home against Port Vale.

With rules limiting managers to the number of changes they can make to their starting 11 in this competition, Hill opted for the maximum of five changes to the side that lost on Saturday. First year pro and local lad Jamie Allen was given his professional debut whilst Joe Rafferty was re-called at right back. Also in the starting 11 were Peter Vincenti, Bastien Hery and Graham Cummins.

Dale played some excellent football in the first half and controlled the game from the off.

Allen showed some touches and passes that belied his tender age and went close with a deflected shot after just five minutes.

The youngster was pulling the majority of the strings in the middle and after shrugging off Loft he played a sweet through ball to Cummins but the striker shot wide.

Cummins again went close when he met a Rose cross but his header was wayward.

The only goal of the game came with five minutes left of the first half. Left full back Michael Rose crossed towards the back post where right full back Joe Rafferty was on hand to power a header beyond Neal for his first ever goal.

After controlling the first half, Hill will have asked for much of the same from his side for the second half.

As expected Port Vale came out looking much hungrier and had the better of the opening 15 minutes of the second half.

Last season’s leading scorer Tom looked the shadow of his former self and his lack of confidence showed minutes after the re-start when he fired over from 10 yards out.

Skipper Doug Loft fired straight at Lillis as Dale held their hosts at arm’s length.

Dale toyed with their opponents like a cat with a mouse as they passed the ball around making the Vale players chase shadows.

As the game neared its end, Vale threw everything at Dale and Loft will feel he should have done better from 12 yards out but Lillis wasn’t troubled.

Ian Henderson almost added a second with a terrific volley in stoppage time but it whistled over.

Hill will be a happy manager after this dominant performance, which puts a line under the weekend's defeat and means his side are again full of confidence heading into this weekend’s clash at Spotland against Newport County.

Attendance: 2612 (107 from Rochdale)

Rochdale: Lillis, Rose, Vincenti , O’Connell, Lancashire (C), Rafferty, Henderson, , Dicker, Hery (Hogan 57), Cummins (Bunney 88), Allen
Subs: (not used) Thomson, Eastham, Done

Port Vale: Neal, Yates, Jones, Robertson, Dickinson, Loft (C), Dodds (Birchall 70), Myrie-Williams, Pope, Lines, Williamson (Hughes 63)
Subs: (not used) Johnson, Griffith, Duffy

Referee: Mr S Mathieson
Assistant Referees: Mr A Fox & Mr N Gibbons
Fourth Official: Mr J Wilson