With Barnet adapting to the monsoon like conditions much the better Dale would probably have settled for a point as the clock ticked down at Underhill but either side of the 90th minute things went pear shaped for them as first of all substitute Chris Dagnall received a red card and then deep into stoppage time a Yannick Bolasie goal denied them a share of the spoils.
In the first half though kicking down the famous Underhill slope the visitors failed to come to terms with the driving wind and rain in their faces and rarely produced the flowing, confident football that has become their trademark. Though they perhaps shaded the possession it was their hosts who created the better opportunities and kept Frank Fielding much the busier of the goalkeepers.
Dale actually went the closest in the early stages with Scott Wiseman narrowly off target with a header and Alfie Le Fondre even closer with an audacious 25 yard curler.
The home side had a double chance in the 11th minute as John O' Flyyn saw his first effort well parried by Fielding and his follow up rattle the crossbar. On 24 minutes Fielding was again in action this time tipping away a Nicky Deverdics rocket and a minute, later following a corner, Simon Ramsden made a great block to deny Ismail Yakubu. Fielding then produced another fine save to keep out a Matt Lockwood free kick and when the ball wasn't fully cleared did well to keep out Paul Furlongs follow up.
In the 39th minute Le Fondre forced a good save out of home keeper Lee Harrison before the home side took a deserved lead. Not for the first time a Fielding clearance hit the brick wall that was the weather conditions and as the ball swurled backwards into the Dale half good pressure from Neal Bishop released O'Flynn who made no mistake from the edge of the penalty area.
As ever Dale came storming right back and equalised almost immediately as Le Fondre had a free header from a Nicky Adams corner and guided the ball into the path of the also unmarked Lee McEvilly who volleyed home from almost under the crossbar.
In the 2nd period Barnet again made better use of the conditions with flying winger Albert Adomah making Tom Kennedy look human for once.Time and again he tore at the back four and in the process Kennedy picked up his first yellow card of the season.
Early in the half a Mark Hughes thunderbolt flew just over before Adomah cut in from the right to force an excellent reaction save out of the over worked Fielding.
A minute later Dale had a half chance as Le Fondre got free but substitute goalkeeper Ron Kadoch who had replaced Harrison at the break did well to spread himself and save with his legs. From the subsequent corner the ball ricocheted round the box before Le Fondre saw his rising drive deflected narrowly over. As Dale enjoyed their best spell Adam Rundle also forced Kadoch into action before substitute Will Buckley cut in and fired not too far wide with his left foot.
Even though substitute Dagnall saw red for what in truth was a badly timed lunge on Bishop it looked like being a hard fought draw as the clock ticked down until Bolasie ,who had been pretty poor all night, found some space in the Dale box deep into injury time to fire in a low shot that Fielding managed to get a hand to but couldn't keep out.
In the dying seconds Dale poured forward in search of a second equaliser and almost got one as following a melee in the box Simon Ramsdens left footed effort was superbly tipped away by Kadoch.
It is disappointing to lose but we remain in the top 3 and we all have a trip to Gigg lane to look forward to on Saturday morning- don't forget to buy your ticket in advance.
Barnet: Harrison (Kadoch 46), Hughes, Breen, Yakubu, Lockwood, Adomah, Bishop, Deverdics, Bolasie, O'Flynn, Furlong.
Subs Not Used: Gillet, Leary, Akurang, Birchall.
Rochdale: Fielding, Ramsden, Wiseman, Stanton, Kennedy, Toner, Keltie, Adams, Rundle (Buckley 72), Le Fondre (Dagnall 78), McEvilly (Thorpe 70).
Subs Not Used: Thompson, McArdle.
Att: 1,332 (291 travelling fans)
Ref: Gavin Ward (Surrey).
