Tuesday 17th February 2009 - 7.45pm

1 

Morecambe

 1

34

 Frank Fielding

 1

Barry Roache 

14

Scott Wiseman

 2

 Adam Yates

2

Simon Ramsden

 4

 David Artell

23

Rory McArdle

 5

 Jim Bentley

3

Tom Kennedy

 7

 Michael Twiss

30

Will Buckley 84

 8

 Gary Hunter

6

Cairan Toner

 9

 Wayne Curtis

8

Gary Jones

 11

 Neil Wainwright

16

Nicky Adams

 16

 Stuart Drummond

9

Chris Dagnall 72

 17

 Aaron Taylor 69

15

Joe Thompson

 25

 Danny Adams

Substitutes

10 

Adam Le Fondre 

10 

Rene Howe 69

7 

Lee McEvilly 

14 

Diarmuid O'Carroll 

11

Adam Rundle 84

 23

 Henry McStay

5

Clark Keltie

 24

 Matthew Bell

19

Lee Thorpe 72

 30

 Scott Davies

SCORERS

BOOKINGS

Bently 90

Stuart Ashworth at Spotland

Sometimes you walk away from a game feeling like you've just lost and a late late leveler from Morecambe's Michael Twiss made it feel just like that.

But while it's Twiss who'll get the plaudits in the sea-side newspapers, credit for getting something out this game falls squarely at the feet of 'keeper Barry Roache.

The stopper produced a string of fine saves, in particular a second half point blank stop from Dale's substitute striker Lee Thorpe and a low one handed effort from Will Buckley.

Keith Hill's charges were without doubt the better side throughout but shading games on performance doesn't always win football matches. Hill once said his side needs to be ruthless and kill teams off a number of months ago and that's what was needed against a resilient Morecambe side.

To that end Hill's side can count themselves unlucky with chances miraculously saved and the woodwork also coming to the rescue of the visitors on occasion too.

Rochdale started the game well enough and signaled their intentions early on with good crisp passing and movement throughout the side packed with more energy than a tanker full of Red Bull.

Scott Wiseman, the defender who loves to attack, combined well with his skipper Gary Jones inside the first two minutes and almost opened the scoring with a pacy box-to-box run. Wiseman beat the last defender for pace before striking a shot with the outside of his boot which sadly curled wide of the upright.

Rochdale continued to apply the pressure and played most of the early part of the game entirely in the visitors half. However all the work Dale put in, in securing a foothold was almost undone by a stray pass from 19-year-old Will Buckley. His attempted square ball was intercepted by Neil Wainwright and he raced forward to present an opportunity to Twiss to take on his man down the left flank. His low cross hit Scott Wiseman and deflected just over the bar and a collective sigh of relief was heard all around Spotland as the ball came to rest in the Sandy Lane.

That man Wiseman turned the game back in Dale's favour on 27 minutes ending a spell of Morecambe pressure with Artell almost making the best of a low Wainwright left wing cross. His attempt to divert the ball goal wards was a little too thin, cutting the ball wide of the mark from close range.

Rochdale dominated and loan player Nicky Adams was unlucky to see his low shot diverted wide by the heel of David Artell after good work by Chris Dagnall just past the half hour mark.

The home side looked odds on to take a lead into the break after Chris Dagnall moved in menacingly from the right and into the box. He'd secured the space for a shot at Roaches' goal and drove a low shot past the diving 'keeper only to see him beaten but not the post.

If Morecambe were expecting more of the same in the second half from Rochdale, Hill's men didn't disappoint. Good early pressure from the home side resulted in the first goal of the game on 50 minutes. Will Buckley collected the ball in the box and coolly curled his effort past Barry Roache inside the far post to break the deadlock.

With the game passing the hour mark Rochdale almost doubled their lead through a rapier like shot from 19-yards by Ciaran Toner sadly for Dale Barry Roache was well positioned and he made a diving save to his right to deny the midfielder.

Former Dale loan player Rene Howe managed to get his head on a rare foray into the Dale box but a lack of solid contact meant an easy first save of the game for 'keeper Frank Fielding.

Dale substitute Lee Thorpe was given a gilt-edged chance to secure all three points after a low ball into the six-yard box had 'put me away' written all over it. As the striker connected Dale fans' celebrated a little prematurely because a combination of defender and Roach on the goal line somehow kept it out.

As the game entered the final ten minutes Morecambe threw everything they could at Rochdale and substitute striker Rene Howe should have leveled the game on 83 minutes. Through on goal and with just Fielding to beat Howe dragged his shot wide of the target.

Howe got another chance to square the game in the last minute of the game as the visitors continued to press. Inside the box from a late corner, Howe waited for the ball to drop some seven-yards out and must have been wondering what goal celebration he was going to use once he'd connected with his volley. He drew back his foot, but any thoughts he had were dashed as Gary Jones appeared from nowhere to nudge the ball away.

It looked like Dale would survive the onslaught but late into stoppage time Morecambe nicked the goal they were desperately seeking. A late corner from the left was swung into the masses inside the box that include Morecambe 'keeper Roache. The initial ball was half dealt with by Dale but the weak clearance was lofted back into the box for Twiss to sweep home from close range.

A kick in the teeth? No doubt, but while it is two points dropped Dale continue their unbeaten run and perhaps more importantly - continue their push for promotion.

Match Stats

Morecambe

ATTEMPTS

 19

ATTEMPTS

 7

ON TARGET

 6

ON TARGET

1 

FREEKICKS

 10

FREEKICKS

9

CORNERS

13 

CORNERS

4 

YELLOW CARDS

 0

YELLOW CARDS

 1

RED CARDS

 0

RED CARDS

 0

POSSESSION

60%

POSSESSION

40%

Star Player

Rochdale

Morecambe

 Scott Wiseman

 Barry Roache

 Dangerous going forward

 String of fine saves

Managers Comments in Brief

Keith Hill

Sammy McIlroy

 "Two points dropped because to concede late on makes you feel like you've lost the game."

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