Frecklington bursts Dale bubble

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Rochdale 0
Lincoln City 2
(Forrester 82, Frecklington 83)

Two late Lincoln goals, via a superb strike from Lee Frecklington and a tap in for Jamie Forrester, brought an end to Rochdale’s seven match unbeaten run.

Forrester opened the scoring when Sam Russell superbly kept out Adam Smith’s volley but the ball fell for the Lincoln striker to fire into the empty net.

Lincoln’s victory was secured a minute later when Frecklington advanced unchallenged to the edge of the Rochdale box and launched an unstoppable shot into the net off the left hand upright.

Rochdale looked lethargic and failed to take the game to the visitors, who are struggling at the foot of League Two. They failed to truly test Lincoln keeper Alan Marriott although missed opportunities by Glenn Murray, either side of half time, proved costly.

At the end of the first half a John Doolan shot took a deflection and fell kindly for Murray at the back post but he failed to hit the target from eight yards out on the volley.

In the second half Rochdale enjoyed a spell of sustained pressure on the Lincoln goal but could not find a way through a solid Lincoln defence. The closest they came was when Adam Le Fondre missed his header after a superb run and cross from Joe Thompson. The ball fell for Murray, who seemed certain to score from six yards, but Nat Brown stuck out a leg and deflected his shot wide.

A sense that was not going to happen for Rochdale developed with each passing minute and Lincoln had certainly played well enough to deserve a late victory. Their opening goal, however, was born out of controversy when the referee’s assistant awarded a throw-in to Lincoln when it was clear for all but the linesman to see that it was a Rochdale ball.

From the throw in they won a free kick and the ball fell to Forrester via Russell’s excellent stop.

“It was very disappointing,” said Dale boss Keith Hill. “It was perhaps one game too many for us. We were not quite at 100% all over the field. It should have been 0-0 really but a decision from the official has cost us the first goal and then the second was a great goal. After the first goal Lincoln were worthy winners and we weren’t at our best. We didn’t look anywhere near ourselves today.”

Hill kept with the side that convincingly brushed aside Darlington on New Years Day but the levels of football that earned them that win were never reproduced. They used the ball poorly when given space on the counter attack and Lincoln asked a few questions of the Dale defence in what was a lacklustre first half.

Lincoln had a couple of moments in the Rochdale box early on but could not make room for a shot and Russell did well to dive out and pluck Ben Wright’s cross from the air from right under Forrester’s nose.
The visitors continued to take the occasional pot shot at Russell’s goal and the keeper was tested by an effort from Frecklington that bounced nastily and had to be gathered at the second attempt. Russell clung on well to a Paul Green freekick but was then beaten by Brown’s header from a Lee Ridley set-piece but the ball sailed just over the upright.

Rochdale had done little to test Marriott at the other end because they kept making the wrong pass from promising counter attacking positions. The worst option was taken by Gary Jones when he chose to shoot from the edge of the box rather than play in Adam Rundle to his left.

The start of the second half was much brighter from Rochdale but on the whole Marriott remained a spectator thanks to the sterling efforts of his defenders. Lee Beevers stuck out a boot to take Kallum Higginbotham’s cross out of the path of a waiting Jones, who would have tapped in from six yards. Minutes later Dale had the ball in the net but Murray’s goal was rightly ruled out. Murray punched Higginbotham’s corner into the net at the far post and the striker was booked for his antics.

Lincoln were looking good for a point and always looked as though they could get more. Russell saved brilliantly when ex-Rochdale loan player Louis Dodds’ low free kick fizzed all the way through to goal. Murray was on hand to clear in ahead of Nat Brown.

They were also incensed when they had strong penalty appeals turned down when John Doolan appeared to scythe down Forrester in the penalty area.

At two goals down Rochdale had a clear penalty of their own denied when Green handled Simon Ramsden’s deep cross inside the Lincoln box. The result was confirmed once the referee had waived away the claims and Rochdale’s march towards the League Two play-off spots was put on hold.

Attendance: 2,721

Rochdale: Russell, Ramsden, Stanton, McArdle, Kennedy, Thompson, Doolan, Jones, Rundle, Le Fondre (Higginbotham 58), Murray (McEvilly 74).
Subs not used: Spencer, Perkins, Holness.

Booked: Thompson, Murray.

Lincoln City: Marriott, Green, Beevers, Brown, Ridley, Forrester, Frecklington, Clarke, Dodds, Wright (Adam Smith 60), John-Lewis.
Subs not used: Moses, Amoo, Hone, Benjamin Smith.

Booked: Brown.

Attempts (on target): Rochdale 11 (4) Lincoln 10 (7)
Free kicks: Rochdale 18 Lincoln 27
Offside: Rochdale 10 Lincoln 1
Corners: Rochdale 8 Lincoln 4

Referee: R Shoebridge.