Miller winner stuns Dale’s play-off hopes

Rochdale players and fans celebrate Chris Dagnall's equaliser

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Darlington 2 (Kennedy, Miller)
Rochdale 1 (Dagnall)
Rochdale will have to come from behind if they are to reach Wembley and keep their promotion hopes alive. Substitute Ian Miller won it for the Quakers with a last minute header.

Jason Kennedy had opened the scoring for the home side in the first half with a wonder strike. Chris Dagnall cancelled that goal out with a wickedly deflected shot that wrong footed David Stockdale in the Darlington goal.

Dale were on top in the final quarter but Miller came up with a real sucker punch for Darlington. Dale keeper Tommy Lee came to collect a Neil Wainwright freekick, only for Miller to get their first and nod an invaluable winner.

“We can take a lot of encouragement from today,” said Rochdale boss Keith Hill. “The goal is a real sucker punch and Tommy Lee has held himself accountable and its cost us but I can’t criticise Tommy Lee for what he’s done since he’s been with us.

“For me it’s not a defeat, it’s only half time. The lads showed a lot of enthusiasm and I was really encouraged by the second half. The lads are still really up for the home leg.

“We made a few poor decisions in the first half and then Darlington scored a superb goal. The game is definitely not over and we think we can win at home and get to Wembley.”

It was a nervous start from both sides, perhaps acceptable given the occasion. Adam Rundle fired a snap shot wide for the visitors but the home side were first to really settle. More specifically Scott Wiseman settled and scampered through the Dale defence from the right full back position and in on goal. His shot was well kept out by the feet of Tommy Lee.

There were clearly a lot of nerves among the players and it was showing in the defences at both ends. Alan White was first to lose his head, gifting possession to Chris Dagnall who had a clear run on goal. His curled finish pinged off the face of the crossbar.

The nerves showed at the other end, particularly for young defender Nathan D’Laryea, in the team due to Nathan Stanton serving the final game of a suspension. The ex-Manchester City defender twice gave the ball away deep in defensive territory and it should have cost him but Micky Cummins hit his shot straight at Lee from Tommy Wright’s cut back.

The game managed to settle before Jason Kennedy struck an absolute wonder goal. He controlled a long ball and at the same time turned inside Rory McArdle before firing a superb curled shot into the far corner of the net. Certainly a goal worthy of the occasion.

Keith Hill would certainly have been the happier of the two managers that there was little goalmouth incident in the remainder of the half. His side continued to struggle, with all of the players finding it difficult to exert any authority over proceedings.

The start to the second half was much more measured from both sides. The first attempt of the half was a long time coming. It came Dale’s way as they began to play some much better football. Dagnall burst into the Darlington box and drilled a low shot just past the far post from a tight angle.

Darlington’s main threat came via set pieces. Their collection of 6-foot plus players arrived forward for every free-kick and corner. Defender White was a constant threat, he headed over from one free-kick at the back post, and striker Wright nodded just over the far post from a corner.

Dale finally began to get their passing game going with half an hour to play but chances were at a premium against the uncompromising Darlington back line. Dagnall was able to steal a yard onto an Adam Rundle cross but he was quickly closed out before he could get a shot in.

Dale’s goal came from nowhere. Dagnall turned inside Ricky Ravenhill and fired in a low shot that took a wicked deflection off Wiseman, leaving Stockdale helpless as the ball completely wrong-footed him.

A Dale corner brought the next moment of excitement. Rory McArdle won the header at the back post, it was cleared off the line by White, only as far as Dale sub Ben Muirhead, who fired in a shot come cross that cannoned off the chest of Rene Howe and flew inches past the post.

Dale were well on top by the time Darlington struck their winner. Tommy Lee, despite keeping Dale in the tie earlier in the game, was to blame when he failed to collect Neil Wainwright’s freekick and Miller rose to head into the empty net.

The visitors had one last chance to claim a draw when, deep into the five minutes of injury time, Howe turned in the box and fired in a stinging drive that was superbly tipped over the cross bar by Stockdale.

Attendance: 8,057

Darlington: Stockdale, White (Miller 86), Foster, Cummins, Purdie, Joachim, Ravenhill, Wiseman, Parker (Ndumbu Nsungu 79), Wright (Wainwright 63), Kennedy.
Subs not used: Miller, Keltie, Kazimierczak, Ndumbu Nsungu.

Rochdale: Lee, Ramsden, Kennedy, D’Laryea (Holness 66), McArdle, Rundle (Muirhead 74), Jones, Perkins, Higginbotham, Dagnall (Le Fondre 81), Howe.
Subs not used: Le Fondre, Holness, Muirhead, Thompson, Basham.

Booked: Jones

Attempts (On target): Darlington 10 (5) Rochdale 7 (3)
Free kicks: Darlington 11 Rochdale 11
Offside: Darlington 1 Rochdale 4
Corners: Darlington 8 Rochdale 5

Referee: P Armstrong.

Photos courtesy of the Northern Echo.