Rochdale recorded their fourth win on the bounce with gutsy performance against a resilient Darlington outfit to lift them to second in the table.
Goals from substitute Will Buckley and Chris O'Grady were enough to seal the win but for once the scoreline flattered Dale a little.
To be fair Darlington were a lot stronger than their league position suggests and perhaps had as many chances to score as Keith Hill's charges. However, it came down to two things in the end dogged defending and ruthlessness in front of goal and Rochdale were better in both camps over the ninety minutes.
Dale manager Keith Hill made one change to his starting line up and one to his formation with Will Buckley making way for Joe Thompson who took up his more natural right wing position and Simon Whaley switched to the left.
The half began with both sides enjoying good possession and good chances though in the first half it was the home side that had the lion's share of efforts on goal. On loan Jamie Devitt was proving to be a real thorn in Dale's side combining well with former Yeovil Town striker Kevin Gall.
However it was Rochdale front man Chris Dagnall who got the first sighter of the keepers. From nothing the livewire striker crafted an opening bursting into the box from the right. Dagnall bundled his way over two strong challenges before breaking through the ranks though Hoult was out in an instant to bravely smother the ball at Dagnall's feet.
The Devitt Gall combination continued to threaten and a ball through to from the Hull loanee put Gall through but his snap shot was comfortably saved by Kenny Arthur in the visitors goal.
Darlington were playing some good football and went close to breaking the deadlock on 11 minutes after Kevin Gall turned Nathan Stanton before flashing a shot across the face of goal and uncomfortably just wide of the target.
Gall was getting too much of the ball and it only looked like a matter of time before he'd get off the mark. He was given another chance to put his name on the scoresheet after Jason Kennedy got caught in possession by Groves in the middle o the park. The Darlington midfielder threaded the ball through to Gall who brought a save out of Arthur with a low shot that saw the Scot save down at his near post.
Rochdale weren't without chances of their own with Whaley, O'Grady and Dagnall all seeing efforts deflected wide of the target following neat passing moves and good spells of possession.
Back at the other end Darlington went close once more through Devitt who saw Dawson clear his goalbound effort.
It was a different story in the second half on the whole Dale bossed it but it wasn't until the introduction of Will Buckley on the hour that the visitors really took command.
In fact it was Darlington certainly came out of the traps playing the sort of high tempo football their visitors are used to playing. They chased, harried and forced errors and with five minutes of the second half played Devitt looked to have put the home side in front.
After jinking his way to half a yard of space on the edge of the box Devitt unleashed a quality strike that not only brought the home fans to their feet, it brought the best out of Kenny Arthur in the Rochdale goal and he tipped the dipping effort over the bar.
The subsequent corner brought more anxiety for the travelling Dale faithful after a Miller header was cleared off the line by Whalley at the far post and that wasn't the end of it. The ensuing scramble for the ball ended when it ricocheted into Kevin Gall's path but again the frustrated forward failed to fire home again Darlington's efforts thwarted by Arthur, this time from point-blank range.
With 55 minutes played Rochdale manager Keith Hill changed things and introduced Buckley for Thompson and you have to say it was inspired. It proved to be the turning point especially after the young substitute put Dale ahead with a sweet turn and shot just minutes after coming on. It arrived courtesy of a Tom Kennedy corner and a Russell Hoult flap.
The early effort from Craig Liddle's side faded and Dale began to go through the gears. Will Buckley was getting plenty of the ball and his run on the break brought another good chance for Rochdale. Simon Whaley raced through the back line before latching onto Buckley's pass but this time keeper Hoult's hands are good and he pushes the ball round the post.
Buckley was again in the thick of things after terrific work by Chris O'Grady down the left. The Oldham Loanee slid the ball firmly into the box sadly the pace that beat the defenders also just beat Buckley rushing in.
Opportunities continued to arise for Dale with numerous attempts to double their lead including a Whaley effort that flashed across the face of goal on 78 minutes and wasn't far wide.
Still the goal Rochdale had threatened for so long arrived in the 80th minute thanks to Chris O'Grady second goal in Dale colours. Whaley and Buckley switched wings and it was the cross from Whaley that was met by O'Grady at the far stick and he made no mistake.
Darlington tried to breathe life into their game but two goals down and a feeling of what if we took those earlier chances seemed to cement the belief that the game was lost.
It was Foxtrot football from Dale with a slow, slow, quick, quick slow approach that helped reap the rewards tonight. Yes we rode our luck a little but this was a win that could mean so much in the grand scheme of things especially after results around the country went our way too.
Goals from substitute Will Buckley and Chris O'Grady were enough to seal the win but for once the scoreline flattered Dale a little.
To be fair Darlington were a lot stronger than their league position suggests and perhaps had as many chances to score as Keith Hill's charges. However, it came down to two things in the end dogged defending and ruthlessness in front of goal and Rochdale were better in both camps over the ninety minutes.
Dale manager Keith Hill made one change to his starting line up and one to his formation with Will Buckley making way for Joe Thompson who took up his more natural right wing position and Simon Whaley switched to the left.
The half began with both sides enjoying good possession and good chances though in the first half it was the home side that had the lion's share of efforts on goal. On loan Jamie Devitt was proving to be a real thorn in Dale's side combining well with former Yeovil Town striker Kevin Gall.
However it was Rochdale front man Chris Dagnall who got the first sighter of the keepers. From nothing the livewire striker crafted an opening bursting into the box from the right. Dagnall bundled his way over two strong challenges before breaking through the ranks though Hoult was out in an instant to bravely smother the ball at Dagnall's feet.
The Devitt Gall combination continued to threaten and a ball through to from the Hull loanee put Gall through but his snap shot was comfortably saved by Kenny Arthur in the visitors goal.
Darlington were playing some good football and went close to breaking the deadlock on 11 minutes after Kevin Gall turned Nathan Stanton before flashing a shot across the face of goal and uncomfortably just wide of the target.
Gall was getting too much of the ball and it only looked like a matter of time before he'd get off the mark. He was given another chance to put his name on the scoresheet after Jason Kennedy got caught in possession by Groves in the middle o the park. The Darlington midfielder threaded the ball through to Gall who brought a save out of Arthur with a low shot that saw the Scot save down at his near post.
Rochdale weren't without chances of their own with Whaley, O'Grady and Dagnall all seeing efforts deflected wide of the target following neat passing moves and good spells of possession.
Back at the other end Darlington went close once more through Devitt who saw Dawson clear his goalbound effort.
It was a different story in the second half on the whole Dale bossed it but it wasn't until the introduction of Will Buckley on the hour that the visitors really took command.
In fact it was Darlington certainly came out of the traps playing the sort of high tempo football their visitors are used to playing. They chased, harried and forced errors and with five minutes of the second half played Devitt looked to have put the home side in front.
After jinking his way to half a yard of space on the edge of the box Devitt unleashed a quality strike that not only brought the home fans to their feet, it brought the best out of Kenny Arthur in the Rochdale goal and he tipped the dipping effort over the bar.
The subsequent corner brought more anxiety for the travelling Dale faithful after a Miller header was cleared off the line by Whalley at the far post and that wasn't the end of it. The ensuing scramble for the ball ended when it ricocheted into Kevin Gall's path but again the frustrated forward failed to fire home again Darlington's efforts thwarted by Arthur, this time from point-blank range.
With 55 minutes played Rochdale manager Keith Hill changed things and introduced Buckley for Thompson and you have to say it was inspired. It proved to be the turning point especially after the young substitute put Dale ahead with a sweet turn and shot just minutes after coming on. It arrived courtesy of a Tom Kennedy corner and a Russell Hoult flap.
The early effort from Craig Liddle's side faded and Dale began to go through the gears. Will Buckley was getting plenty of the ball and his run on the break brought another good chance for Rochdale. Simon Whaley raced through the back line before latching onto Buckley's pass but this time keeper Hoult's hands are good and he pushes the ball round the post.
Buckley was again in the thick of things after terrific work by Chris O'Grady down the left. The Oldham Loanee slid the ball firmly into the box sadly the pace that beat the defenders also just beat Buckley rushing in.
Opportunities continued to arise for Dale with numerous attempts to double their lead including a Whaley effort that flashed across the face of goal on 78 minutes and wasn't far wide.
Still the goal Rochdale had threatened for so long arrived in the 80th minute thanks to Chris O'Grady second goal in Dale colours. Whaley and Buckley switched wings and it was the cross from Whaley that was met by O'Grady at the far stick and he made no mistake.
Darlington tried to breathe life into their game but two goals down and a feeling of what if we took those earlier chances seemed to cement the belief that the game was lost.
It was Foxtrot football from Dale with a slow, slow, quick, quick slow approach that helped reap the rewards tonight. Yes we rode our luck a little but this was a win that could mean so much in the grand scheme of things especially after results around the country went our way too.
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