Rochdale were denied progress to the second round of the Capital One Cup on Saturday afternoon after Barnsley emerged 4-3 winners (AET) during a dramatic encounter at Spotland which saw a red card, two penalties and extra time.
Dale took the lead early in the first half through Andrew Tutte but went into the interval on level terms after the visitors equalised through John Stones. Barnsley then went a goal ahead through Craig Davies before Jason Kennedy scored a last ditch penalty to take the game to extra time.
Chris Dagnall then fired Barnsley ahead before adding his second of the afternoon ten minutes later. Kennedy then netted again from the spot, but an impressive performance from stand in keeper Bobby Hassell denied Rochdale several opportunities to draw level.
Manager John Coleman opted for the same starting eleven as the side who were victorious against Burnley in the final pre-season friendly of the summer on Tuesday evening.
As seen midweek, Dale were direct in their play, driving at Barnsley from kick-off. Andrew Tutte, who was lively throughout the first half, had Dale’s first half chance of the match on four minutes as he struck a shot from distance. The effort was deflected out of play for the first corner of the game.
Just a minute later Tutte was again involved in the action just minutes later as he played in the on-running George Donnelly with a fantastic pass up the right flank. Rochdale’s new No9 dragged the ball inside before shooting from the edge of the area. The effort was collected by goalkeeper Ben Alnwick.
And on six minutes Dale’s persistence paid off as Tutte netted the first goal of the 2012/13 season after a fantastic piece of forward play. Donnelly broke in mid-field, squared the ball for Tutte who curled the ball over the top of Alnwick and into the back of the net from 20 yards out.
Rochdale should have doubled their lead seven minutes later through Ashley Grimes, but the unmarked forward headed wide of the target from six yards out following a superb cross into the area from Tutte.
The match was then brought to a brief halt on 15 minutes due an injury to Barnsley’s Jim O’Brien who collided with the advertising boards in front of the Willbutts Lane end. O’Brien received treatment at the side of pitch for several minutes before being stretchered off the field of play and replaced by former Daley Chris Dagnall.
The change in personnel added to the visitors’ attacking prowess and they began to push forward, causing problems for the Rochdale defence.
Matt Done was the first to test goalkeeper Josh Lillis during a ten minute spell of possession. He stepped inside before unleashing an effort goalward, in the end it was a comfortable save for Lillis.
Moments later and Lillis drew gasps from the home supporters as he ran wildly off his line and out towards the corner flag in pursuit of Dagnell who had the ball. The ‘keeper slipped allowing Dagnell to pull the ball back towards goal, but fortunately for Lillis, Ryan Edwards eventually saw off the danger after several attempts to clear the ball.
The slip-up seemed to drive Dale on once more and Peter Cavanagh came close on the half hour mark. The skipper drove an effort goalwards from outside the area, forcing Alnwick into a finger tip save to push the ball out for a corner kick.
A minute later and Grimes had an on target strike from distance saved by Alnwick who had dived the across the face of his goal to collect.
As the half continued Dale looked comfortable as they continued the passing game, and looked set to be heading into the interval a goal to the good until a goal from John Stones gave the visitors an equaliser on 44 minutes. Stone slotted the ball into in at the farpost after catching Lillis flatfooted.
After the interval Grimes had the first half chance as he hit an shot goalwards, keeper Alnwick stooped low in the middle of his goal to smother the ball.
Two minutes later (48 minutes), Grimes was again involved in the thick of the action but couldn’t convert after a good ball in from the right from Cavangh. Grimes had bags of space but couldn’t bring the ball under control and it bounced into the hands of Alnwick.
On the hour mark, Dale had yet another opportunity, this time through Jason Kennedy. JK who drove forward from the midfield finally got a shot away after dancing past the Barnsley defence but had to look on as his effort crept past the upright.
Barnsley’s chances were few and far between, but had their best opportunity of the half on 64 minutes. Kelvin Etuhu’s inch perfect cross found Done at the near post, but the former Dale winger didn’t get enough on the ball to steer it into the net.
Three minutes later and Cavanagh once again went in search of the goal which would put Dale back in front. He ran around 40 yards with the ball, before deciding to pass inside the area instead of going it alone. Kennedy who was waiting at the far side scuffed the ball allowing Barnsley to clear it away and back into play.
On 74 minutes the visitors applied pressure in the goalmouth in what can only beside described as melee inside the six yard box following a Barnsley set piece. The original cross was headed away by Cavanagh but was picked up by Etuhu close the corner flag and fed back into the danger zone. Several players from both teams all tried to make a connection with the ball before it landed for Donnelly who eventually hooked it away and back out into open play putting an end to a nervous thirty seconds for Dale.
And despite Rochdale being the better of the two sides throughout the games, Barnsley took the lead through Craig Davies with 11 minutes of the match remaining. He turned his marker Phil Edwards on the edge of the 18 yard box and slotted the ball under Lillis at his near post and into the back of the net.
The goal came as a blow for Dale but it wasn’t over yet for Rochdale as a spot kick injury time saw Dale equalise during a dramatic ending to normal time at Spotland.
In the dying moments, Barnsley went down to ten men after keeper Alnwick was red carded for an off the ball incident with substitute Ray Putterill inside the box. With no keeper on the bench the outfield Bobby Hassell was called upon to go in goal for the resulting penalty and what would become extra time.
Kennedy stepped up for the spot kick and calmly struck the ball down the middle of the goal and into the back of the net to give Dale a lifeline in the game.
The match then moved to extra time and there was yet more drama at Spotland.
Dagnall fired Barnsley ahead four minutes into added time before adding his second of the afternoon ten minutes later with a superb volley into the top corner of the net from distance.
The game continued at pace and Dale substitute Craig Curran was denied by Scott Wiseman who cleared the ball off the line as the game headed for the break.
And a minute later Rochdale were awarded their second penalty of the game after Dave Perkins was adjudged to have handled inside the area. Up stepped JK once more to take the spot kick and, similarly to his first penalty, slotted the ball down the middle of the goal and into the back of the net to make it 3-4, game on!
With Dale needing a fourth to keep the game alive, everything was thrown at the Barnsley goal as the search for the crucial equaliser upped a gear.
Two minutes into the second half of extra time Craney was denied by the outstanding Hassell who tipped Craney’s diving header round the upright.
JK looked set for his hat-trick five minutes later but was denied by Jim McNulty’s last gasp challenge.
A minute later and Hassell was again the man of the moment as the impressive outfield keeper blocked a shot at his near post from Putterill.
Cavanagh was next to have a go at goal as he fired a shot from distance just over the bar, while Curran had Dale’s final opportunity of the match as his on target header went into the hands of Hassell to spell game over.