MATCH REPORT SPONSORED BY FREEBETS.CO.UK
No nightmares for Keith Hill's side on Halloween as they served up a display full of tricks and treats for the visiting Rochdale supporters wining at Dean Court for the first time since September 1969.
Goals from Chris Dagnall, a brace from Chris O'Grady and Simon Whaley solo spectacular helped secure a massive three points to bring them in touching distance of the league leaders.
There were three changes from the side that started against Accrington last weekend, with one new signing amongst those. Josh Lillis was signed on-loan from Scunthorpe United on Friday in place of the injured Kenny Arthur. Rory McArdle kept his place at right-back, whilst Nathan Stanton came in for Marcus Holness in the centre of defence to partner Craig Dawson. Tom Kennedy started at left-back and his namesake, Jason, captained the side again in the absence of Gary Jones, with Dale Stephens alongside him at the heart of the team. Joe Thompson came in for Adam Rundle on the right and Simon Whaley started on the left, with Chris O'Grady and Chris Dagnall starting up top.
It's always important to get off to the best possible start in any game, but even moreso in a top of the table clash, and the referee denied Dale a great start with four minutes gone by turning down a penalty appeal. Simon Whaley played the ball into Chris O'Grady on the edge of the box who turned and flicked the ball away from Ryan Garry who looked to bring down the on-loan striker. There was a strong shout from the Dale players and fans, but referee Crossley waved away any protests and awarded Dale a corner.
The opening ten minutes were positive for Keith Hill's side, as they looked to play the ball on the floor and forward at every opportunity. There were cries of 'shoot' from all involved with Dale when stand-in captain Jason Kennedy ran on to a bouncing ball just outside the area, but his left-foot shot was hit into the ground, taking all the power off it as it bounced into the hands of Shwan Jalal.
Whilst Dale were looking for that opening that could lead to a goal, Bournemouth were hoping for exactly the same. They had a penalty shout of their own with 15 minutes played when Alan Connell went down just inside the area under a challenge from Nathan Stanton. The referee turned down the shouts again and had to have words with Connell and Tom Kennedy when there was a stoppage in play as the two squared up to each other.
Three minutes later and Dale had their first real chance of the game. Good link up play between Chris O'Grady and Chris Dagnall up front led to the latter having a decent effort on goal from outside the area, but Bournemouth 'keeper Jalal made a comfortable save low to his left.
Dale had another opportunity, again through Dagnall, in the 21st minute of the half. A long ball from Lillis was flicked on by Joe Thompson to Dale's leading scorer, but his first time half-volley flew harmlessly wide of Jalal's right-hand post.
Keith Hill's side were really taking the game to the home side and Simon Whaley kept up the pressure with a fine effort. Rory McArdle played a ball up to Chris O'Grady who did enough with his jump to let the ball to Whaley around 40 yards out. He carried the ball forward before trying to bend a shot around Jalal into the top corner, but the Bournemouth 'keeper was equal to it as he tipped the ball around the post for a corner with a fine save.
As the clock ticked past half an hour, Bournemouth had a rare chance through their Player of the Month Brett Pitman. Liam Feeney did well down the right to beat To Kennedy before crossing to the back post for Pitman. His shot bounced into the ground and up at Josh Lillis who showed fine reflexes to palm the ball away from goal before pouncing on the loose ball.
The Cherries were coming back into the game as the clock ticked on towards half-time and they won a free-kick within shooting range after Tom Kennedy was booked for handball. Brett Pitman took the free-kick and bent it around the wall. It could have been creeping in, but Josh Lillis came across well to make a great diving save to his left and tip the ball around the post for a corner. One corner led to another, but the home side couldn't make either of them count.
Dale had a huge let off on 40 minutes when the linesman's flag saved them and preserved Josh Lillis' clean sheet. Warren Cummings whipped in a free-kick from right channel which was flicked on by Alan Connell. His flick found its way to Steve Fletcher at the back post who nodded the ball home, but Bournemouth's target man was flagged offside and the goal was disallowed.
Josh Lillis, who had made an impressive start to his debut, was becoming heavily involved towards the end of the half. He came running out of his goal to make a headed clearance, but as Tom Kennedy tried to flick the ball further on, the ball was intercepted by Danny Hollands and he tried a first time shot as Lillis was rushing back, but he struck it poorly and Lillis was able to pick the ball up easily.
As the game rolled into the second of the two added minutes, Dale took a deserved lead. Chris O'Grady played a superb through ball into the path of Chris Dagnall. Dagnall was in behind the defence and only had the onrushing Shwan Jalal to beat, which he did superbly. He dinked the ball over the Bournemouth 'keeper and into the corner of the goal to send the travelling Dale fans into a frenzy.
The Dale fans were still celebrating as Bournemouth came forward again with a last ditch effort. Steve Fletcher picked the ball up on the edge of the box before turning and firing a shot off which Lillis left well as the ball rolled wide of his left post.
That brought the half to a close, and it was a half in which Dale played very well as they looked to erase the demons from last Saturday on this Halloween weekend.
As the second half began, Keith Hill's side will have known the home side were looking to come out at them and look for a way back into the game. There was plenty of pressure from The Cherries in the opening five minutes, but Josh Lillis' goal wasn't troubled.
It was Dale who created the first opening of the half with six minutes gone. Joe Thompson did well on the left before playing the ball to Chris O'Grady. He touched the ball to Chris Dagnall, who returned the favour, and O'Grady played one more pass into Thompson who had continued his run, but his first time shot flew over the crossbar.
Joe Thompson had another effort in the 56th minute, but from a much greater distance. He had support as he cut in from the left wing, but opted for an effort at goal which wasn't far wide of Shwan Jalal's right post, but the Bournemouth goalkeeper had it covered.
For all their early pressure, Bournemouth's first effort of the second half came with 13 minutes played. Alan Connell had to try a speculative effort as the ball bounced up at him with his back to goal, but his overhead kick flew harmlessly wide of Josh Lillis' post.
The game was turning into a fiercely contested affair and one that the home side were really taking to Dale. They were flighting numerous balls towards the Dale box, but the defence held firm and showed great physical presence to turn away any frightening moments on Josh Lillis' goal.
But for all the home side's pressure, they couldn't make any of their chances count, and Dale punished them in the finest possible way with a second goal. Joe Thompson did well on the left to play a one-two with Dale Stephens before giving to Chris Dagnall and running on down the line again. Dagnall decided not to use to him and beat two men superbly before playing the ball square across the box to Chris O'Grady, whose first time shot was superbly swept into the top corner to double Dale's advantage.
The day will have started for Dale's following with the hope of coming away with at least a point, and possibly nicking a one goal victory, but when Simon Whaley added a third goal on 23 minutes, their dreams may have started to come true. Whaley picked up the ball in space just inside the Bournemouth half with Chris Dagnall ahead of him. He decided not to use Dale's leading scorer, but drive at goal himself. He did superbly to beat two men before releasing a shot with his right-foot which looked to take a deflection, but it rolled into the back of the Bournemouth goal, sending the Dale fans on the far side into dreamland.
Those two quick goals settled Dale's nerves, and the pressure Keith Hill's men were under was soon forgotten. Those memories became even more distant when Dale added a fourth goal, again through Chris O'Grady. Chris Dagnall did superb on the left before looking for a one-two with O'Grady, but the ball was lost to Lee Bradbury. However, Dagnall did superbly to win the ball back and play the ball into O'Grady whose first time shot was superbly placed past Jalal, prompting a mass exodus from the home end at Dean Court.
Dale were in dreamland and were playing the ball around the pitch so superbly it was almost a training session at times. The way Keith Hill's side were playing, they could have easily added a fifth goal, but the intensity was somewhat reduced now there was a four goal gap on the scoreboard.
Then came a black spot on Dale's victory, with the sending off of Nathan Stanton. The ball bounced up at Marvin Bartley in the middle of the park as Stanton came in with a sliding challenge to attempt to win the ball back. His challenge was high and provoked a furious response from the Bournemouth players, before Phil Crossley produced a red card from his back pocket to send Stanton off.
This prompted a spell of pressure from the home side, but even they knew the game was out of their reach as their efforts were poor and they looked lacklustre in their play. Alan Connell had a decent effort which Josh Lillis was equal to.
Dale had some pressure of their own, even with ten men, but nothing came of it as they were happy to play the ball about teasing the opposition with keep ball sessions with high passing counts and a willingness to retrieve the ball when lost akin to a side looking for a late equaliser. It's onto Luton next Saturday for the first round proper of the FA Cup, and while the contest will be far from easy, optimism is the Dale camp will be high as Hill's side look for a place in the hat for the second round.
Bournemouth: Jalal, Feeney, Robinson, Garry, Connell, Hollands, Cummings, Fletcher, Pitman, Pearce, Bradbury.
Dale: Lillis, McArdle, Kennedy, Stanton, Dawson, Thompson, J Kennedy, Stephens, Whaley, O'Grady, Dagnall.
Referee: Mr Phil Crossley. Assistant Referees: Mr BR Huxtable & Mr SC Knapp. Fourth Official: Mr AA Laver.
Attendance: 6,378.
