Chesterfield 3 - 0 Rochdale

Rochdale crashed out of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy at the hands of Chesterfield. Having dominated the first 45 minutes it wasn’t a surprise when Chesterfield took the lead on the stroke of half time. Dale were better in the second half and should have been level when Ian Henderson found the net but was wrongly judged to be offside by assistant Joe Clark. After that Chesterfield stepped up a gear and finished off a lacklustre Dale team.

The Dale boss used this game to experiment with some fringe players and a new formation. Using three central defenders and attacking players Jav Vidal and Matty Done as wing backs, Dale were looking at taking the game to their hosts but it was Chesterfield who asked the questions.

Ollie Banks fired two warning shots across the Dale goal whilst Jimmy Ryan tried his luck from the half way line when Dale keeper Josh Lillis was slightly off his line.

Rochdale should have had a free kick when Vidal was scythed down when breaking away but referee Sarginson waved play on with the Dale man being replaced soon after through injury.

Drew Talbot tried a speculative effort from distance with Lillis again off his line but the stopper managed to tip over.

With the two minutes of added time at the end of the first half almost up, Chesterfield got their noses in front. A Gary Roberts corner was cleared back to the winger and his inch perfect cross was met by Banks to head the opening goal.

A change in formation for Rochdale at the start of the second half saw a more orthodox 4-3-3 formation adopted which seemed to stem the home sides flow.

Matty Done broke through the centre with a challenge coming in from a defender which saw the ball spin out to Henderson on the left. The winger controlled the ball before slotting past Lee in the home goal to seemingly level the game. Initially the referee gave the goal but then after consultation with his assistant, ruled it out. Replays showed that not only was Henderson onside, but the last touch came off a Chesterfield player.

Reeling from that decision, Dale set about the home side with Henderson coming close once again. A long diagonal ball was well controlled out on the left and although Henderson’s shot beat Lee, it grazed the post and was cleared.

Both side had half chances, Roberts fired narrowly wide for Chesterfield whilst Rose saw a couple of powerful drives blocked.

Hogan should really have done better when Lee spilled a Rose shot although an offside flag would have had Dale reeling again from a poor decision had the striker have scored.

From then on it was all Chesterfield as they secured a place in the next round. Roberts’ delightful cross made for an easy tap in for Gnanduillet whilst Roberts got his third assist of the night when found Banks inside the area who lifted the ball over Lillis.

Hill’s side just weren’t at their best but with stuttering form of late, his side will have to focus on the league game at Morecambe on Saturday.

Attendance: 2897 (174 from Rochdale)

Rochdale: Lillis, Vidal (Rose 18), Vincenti (Cummins 55), O’Connell, Lancashire ©, Eastham, Henderson, , Dicker, Tutte (Allen 66), Hogan, Done
Subs: (not used) Thomson, Bunney

Chesterfield: Lee, Talbot, Cooper, Hird, Evatt ©, Ryan, Humphrey’s, Banks (Darikwa 82), Roberts, O’Shea (Doyle 88), Gnanduillet (Richards 82)
Subs: (not used) Chapman, Togwell

Referee: Mr C Sarginson
Assistant Referee: Mr J Clark & Miss A Fearn
Fourth Official: Mr I Dudley