CARLING CUP - Round One - 11th Aug 2009 - 7.45pm
Venue - Hillsborough
A 3-0 defeat at the hands of Championship side Sheffield Wednesday saw Dale's Carling Cup expeditions ended at the first hurdle. Goals from Etienne Esajas and two from Jermaine Johnson saw Wednesday into the next round of the Carling Cup, and made sure Dale left Hillsborough disappointed.
Dale stuck with the same side as Saturday's 1-1 draw at Port Vale, except for the inclusion of Marcus Holness in place of Scott Wiseman who didn't make the squad. Assistant manager David Flitcroft was named on the bench, alongside youngsters Josh Brizzell, and striker Denis Sheriff.
The game kicked into life not long after the handshakes and coin toss, as the hosts almost broke the deadlock inside the first minute. Striker Jermaine Johnson found himself out on the left, and after good work from the former Oldham Athletic player, he managed to get a low cross in, but Marcus Tudgay could only flick the ball into the arms of Kenny Arthur.
Dale managed to carve out their first opportunity of the match just three minutes later. A clearance from Adam Rundle looked like it was returning to the possession of Sheffield Wednesday, but a great leap and flicked header from Jason Kennedy found the path of Joe Thompson. Joe took the ball on a few yards before playing the ball into the path of Will Buckley, but as he held off the last defender he dragged his shot wide of Lee Grant's right hand post.
The home side were having the majority of possession, and but for a few half chances of breaks from Dale there was no real threat from Keith Hill's side. Wednesday's dominance almost paid off on eleven minutes as good work again from Johnson down left led to another low ball into the box which fell to Tommy Miller 12 yards out, but his shot was well saved by the legs of Dale goalkeeper Kenny Arthur.
Wednesday's dominance did pay off in the 18th minute, in spectacular fashion. A high ball forward from the Wednesday defence was well read by Dawson, who managed to get a head on the ball, but it fell to left-winger Etienne Esajas who struck a sweet left-footed volley from the best part of 30 yards, sending the ball flying over Kenny Arthur in the Dale goal, and rippling the back of the Dale net.
The wonder goal from the home side seemed to rock Dale for a few minutes, and worse was yet to follow for the away side. In the 21st minute Wednesday won a free kick on the edge of the box after Stanton had fouled Jermaine Johnson. The free kick was charged down by Chris Dagnall who blocked well, but the ball found its way out to Frank Simek on the right hand side. As Dale were re-organising at the back, he played a ball into the box towards Jermaine Johnson, who brought the ball down before turning and weaving past two Dale defenders, and firing a shot past a helpless Kenny Arthur in the Dale goal.
At 2-0 Dale's heads could have easily dropped, but credit needs to go to Keith Hill's side as they didn't let this happen. In fact, Dale started to get their foot on the ball a bit more and carve out opportunities of their own. One of these came after Will Buckley won the ball in midfield, before laying the ball off to Chris Dagnall who carried the ball with intent towards the Wednesday goal. He played a ball through to Adam Rundle, who decided to take a touch rather than hitting the ball first time, which meant he had to come back on himself as defenders found their way back. His chance went, but the ball found its way out to Jason Kennedy on the edge of the area, but his shot was deflected out for a corner.
As Dale were slowly getting back into the game, a break from Wednesday almost led to a third goal for the Hillsborough side. A ball from the right found Jermaine Johnson, who did well to turn Nathan Stanton, but his shot was well saved by the legs of Kenny Arthur who turned the ball out for a corner.
With 10 minutes to go Dale looked to break again, this time through captain Gary Jones. Adam Rundle intercepted a ball just outside his own box before passing the ball forward to his captain. A surging run from Jones led to a 4-on-3 situation for Dale, but he couldn't play a ball into the path of any of the three Dale forwards ahead of him, and the move broke down. Marcus Tudgay almost scored the second spectacular goal of the night just minutes later, as he controlled the ball on his chest with Craig Dawson for company, and attempted an overhead kick, but his delightful effort was straight at Kenny Arthur.
Dale managed to turn the tables in terms of possession in the last five minutes as the boys in purple got a foothold of the game after long spells of domination from Wednesday. Keith Hill's men had their best chance of the match on 40 minutes as good work from Tom Kennedy and Adam Rundle down the left led to Gary Jones being free on the left of the penalty area. His ball into the box was contested for by Will Buckley and Darren Purse, with Buckley not managing to turn the ball goalwards. The ball fell to Dagnall 12 yards out, but his shot was well saved by Lee Grant, and as the ball came back out to Dagnall it looked as though another shooting opportunity was on the cards, but he couldn't quite work it as he wanted and the chance fell away.
The last word of the first half fell to Dale skipper Gary Jones. Chris Dagnall couldn't quite turn his man just inside the box, and the ball found its way out to Jones just outside the box, but his half volley was way over the crossbar.
The first half ended with Wednesday two goals to the good, which was a fair reflection after 45 minutes, despite various opportunities for Dale to make their mark on the scoreboard.
As the second half started, Dale knew they needed an early goal if they were to get back into the game, but things didn't go according to the half-time plan. Tommy Miller nearly made it three with four minutes gone, after a neat one-two between him and Marcus Tudgay led to him blasting a cross-shot across the face of goal. However, just a minute later Wednesday did make it three.
Mark Beevers did well to cut out a Dale attack, and he played a great ball over the Dale defence into the path of the pacey Jermaine Johnson. His pace took him past the Dale defence, and as Kenny Arthur came rushing out to try and clear the ball, Johnson got to the ball and managed to flick the ball over the advancing Arthur and into the Dale goal to, barring miracles from Dale, put the game to bed.
This goal prompted Keith Hill to make two changes just four minutes later. Kallum Higginbotham came on for Will Buckley, whilst Jon Shaw returned to his old stomping ground by replacing Adam Rundle. Higginbotham was to play out left whilst Shaw linked up with Dagnall up top. Just seconds later Johnson nearly claimed the match ball. A ball from Spurr was played down the left into the path of Johnson who had Dawson beaten for pace, but his shot was well saved by Kenny Arthur.
The pace of the game really did slow down after the third goal, as Wednesday took control of the game, playing some lovely football, and closing down Dale at very opportunity. Dale didn't really have an answer to the home side's dominance, although there was some neat football played by Keith Hill's men. An example of this came when Gary Jones played a ball out wide to Joe Thompson, and his ball into the box found its way back out to Jones, who shot straight into the arms of Lee Grant from 18 yards.
Wednesday almost added to their collection of spectacular goals on the night after 68 minutes through Darren Potter. A touch from Jermaine Johnson into the former Wolves man's path saw him lash the ball goalwards, only to see it fly past Kenny Arthur's right hand post.
The Dale goalkeeper was called into action with 18 minutes remaining. A cross to Jeffers at the back post was headed up in the air, and it fell to Tommy Miller, whose free header was superbly saved by Arthur down to his right. An injury to Marcus Holness with 15 minutes left meant Josh Brizzell was introduced for his professional debut.
Just minutes later it looked as though Wednesday could have made it four. Former Arsenal striker Francis Jeffers found himself in behind the Dale defence, but as he was about to pull the trigger Craig Dawson got back to make a fantastic recovery tackle and force the ball out for a corner.
The Championship side were playing some lovely one touch football, and they had a few long range efforts that flew wide and over the Dale goal. Dale also found themselves in promising positions a few times as the game wound down, but Dale couldn't carve out a chance of their own.
As three minutes of added time were shown, Wednesday launched a ball forward, and a Francis Jeffers header was well saved by Kenny Arthur. This was to be the last action of the game as the referee blew for full time.
In the end it was disappointment for Keith Hill's side as the game ended 3-0, but it has to be said Dale were up against a very good Championship side, shown by their lovely one touch football at times. Dale can take heart from the chances they created and they were backed all the way by a healthy and vocal Dale support, but the dreams of an giant killing before the match didn't materialise, and Dale left Hillsborough disappointed.
Sheffield Wednesday: Grant, Spurr (Hinds), Purse, Miller, Tudgay (Jeffers), McAllister, Esajas, Potter, Beevers, Simek, Johnson (Gray).
Dale: Arthur, Holness (Brizzell), T Kennedy, Dawson, Stanton, Jones, J Kennedy, Thompson, Rundle (Shaw), Buckley (Higginbotham), Dagnall.
Attendance: 6,696.
