Saturday 5th November - 3pm

Rochdale

 O'Connor 45

 Rochdale's involvement in the 125th FA Cup came to an end at a rain-lashed Spotland despite swatting the Bee's for large parts of this game.

Brentford went through thanks to a late first half penalty and were lucky in the end to squeeze through to the next round.

With barely two minutes played Brentford went very close after a neat touch by Owusu put in Jay Tabb on the edge of the box, but his curling effort was just touched onto the bar.

Grant Holt was looking sharper early on along with strike partner Rickie Lambert who linked up well with Gary Jones in the 7th minute.  The Dale skipper latched onto a lovely ball from Lambert, but the attentions of two defenders on either side did enough to hamper Jones' effort of goal.

Rochdale were enjoying plenty of the ball and provided plenty of energy, but the visitors always possesed a threat and with 21 minutes on the clock Rankin almost got through.  The pacy frontman broke and looked to get a shot off inside the box, but a great tackle by Goodall prevented Gilks being tested.

Rochdale began to put a little more pressure on a Bees backline that didn't look too confident, but time after time promising moves ended without a punishing final ball.

Just before the break Brentford took the lead after Paul Brooker was upended by Alan Goodall inside the box.  Kevin O'Connor stepped up to despatch the effort to Gilks' left.

Brentford began the second half perhaps lifted by their lead with the lively Tabb at the centre of every forray forward.  Brentford thought they'd doubled their lead on 52 minutes, but a foul on Gilks from the corner ended any celebrations.

Rory McArdle was having a solid performance at the back for Dale and he showed good maturity to deny Owusu inside the box with a great block.

Moments later Grant Holt almost hooked the ball over the keeper after a long diagonal ball from the right but was unlucky to see his shot miss the target.

Rochdale continued to push and a sweeping move from the home side almost brought an equaliser.  A great move down the right ended with Ernie Cooksey getting on the end of a Holt square ball, but the 'keeper made the save.

Three minutes later and with Dale still looking for the back of the Brentford net it was the turn of Alan Goodall to try and find it.  A strong running Jones picked up a Holt ball and squeeze the ball through to the supporting Goodall. 

Goodall fired a low shot towards the far post, but his effort skidded wide of the upright and despite a touch off keeper Nelson the referee gave the goalkick.

Paul Tait was introduced inside the last ten minutes and he was unlucky to see his 84th minute looping header cleared off the line.

Rochdale were like the rain at Spotland, persistent in the extreme and were unlucky not to have found the equalising goal following goalmouth scrambles and the odd shot from a rampant Rochdale side who were unlucky not to be in the hat for the next round.