Rochdale 1 Brentford 1

A moment of sheer brilliance from former loanee Glenn Poole denied what Dale what would have been a thoroughly deserved win.

 Bearing in mind the week that has gone by, that Rory McArdle played with his ankle heavily strapped and Tom Kennedy when full of flu this was a solid performance from Keith Hill's side who in truth were the only team on the pitch trying to play football with the ball on the ground.

The visitors had just the one tactic- route 1 via long balls onto the head of Lee Thorpe and manged only 2 meaningful efforts on goal-one on 6 minutes from Charlie Ide comfortably saved by the increasingly confident James Spencer and the spectacular volley in the dying minutes by Poole that gained them a share of the spoils

After a slow start Keith Hills side took control and from about the 10 minute mark onwards there looked like being only one winner and that certainly was not Terry Butchers visitors.

Adam Rundle started the ball rolling with a good tackle, a slalomming run and a good shot that was well saved on 11minutes. On 18 minutes Glenn Murray just couldnt get over a Kelvin Lomax cross.After a bout of head tennis skipper Gary Jones saw his volley go wide, Murray had another header saved, Ben Muirhead shot wide and just before the break Tom Kennedy saw his free kick well saved down by the post.

Into the 2nd half it was more one way traffic and on 47 minutes from a well delivered Muirhead free kick the ever improving Murray saw his glancing header rebound off the crossbar with keeper Brown comfortably beaten .

On 57 minutes Keith Hill introduced Scott Taylor for his home debut and within 5 minutes from another free kick the home side were deservedly in front. In what was a carbon copy of the goal they scored at Grimsby last time out Rundle delivered wickedly from the right and this time it was Murray getting up the highest virtually under the crossbar to glance home.

Gary Jones saw his stinging free kick well saved by keeper Brown who also did well to keep out Rundle after his initial effort from another free kick had rebounded to him off the defensive wall. Murray  produced a splendid individual effort holding off 2 defenders and then swivelling and producing an audacious dipping volley that had the keeper beaten but swerved just wide of the far upright.

With it looking for all the world to be a home win yet another aimless up and under  in the 81st minute was headed out by Rory McArdle only for Poole to control on his chest and lash in a terrific volley, via the base of the post from fully 25 yards.

Considering the week that has just gone by, the disruption caused the injury list and the lack of experience of the Dale defence inparticular this was a good performance and should have garnered all 3 points.