A dominant Rochdale booked their place in the draw for the second round of the FA Cup with a 2-0 win over Torquay United at Plainmoor on Saturday.
Late goals from Scott Hogan and Peter Vincenti ensured victory for Dale in the first ever cup meeting between the two sides.
Manager Keith Hill made four changes for the tie at Plainmoor – Gary Dicker, Jamie Allen, Matty Done and Graham Cummins, who was ineligible for the fixture, made way for Ashley Eastham, Peter Vincenti, Andrew Tutte and Scott Hogan.
It was a high tempo and dominant first half display from Dale and they were very much in the ascendancy for large spells.
Rochdale had the better of the opportunities to open the scoring as they looked dangerous in attack, while at limiting the home side’s threat at the other end.
Andrew Tutte had Dale’s first chance of the match as he was denied from an acute angle by the legs of ‘keeper Martin Rice. Four minute later, Joe Rafferty’s effort from 20 yards was deflected wide.
Rochdale were in control and with quarter of an hour played Dale came within inches of opening the scoring after Ian Henderson whipped a ball towards the back post and over the heads of the Torquay defence. Eastham, who was an inch too short, rose high at the stick but he was unable to get the decisive touch to turn it into the net.
Dale had looked comfortable, but were almost punished mid-way through the half as a cross-come-shot from Torquay looked destined for the net at the back post. Eastham pulled off a timely clearance from less than six yards to keep the scores level.
As the half progressed Dale continued to pepper the Gulls’ goal without creating too many clear cut opportunities and the sides went it tied at the interval.
HT: TORQUAY UNITED 0-0 ROCHDALE
There were no changes for Dale at the interval as Manager Keith Hill stayed as was for the start of the second half.
Rochdale started the second half in the same manner as they had in the first and always looked the more likely to score.
Within three minutes of the re-start Hogan had found the back of the net, but the striker had been flagged off side.
In the 51st minute he was involved in the action again as tested Rice from the edge of the 18 yard box. His low drive sent the ‘keeper stretching across the face of goal to get two hands behind the effort.
Dale were enjoying large spells of dominance and shortly after the hour mark Hogan had the best opportunity of the half as he skipped past two markers. He travelled through one on one with the ‘keeper, who pulled off a timely save to deny him.
As seen in the first half, opportunities for either side became few and far between, but an inspired substitution from Hill changed the game. Matty Done replaced Rafferty, which added another attacking dimension to the side and he was instrumental in the first goal.
Done got in behind the defence on the right hand side and cut back for Hogan who struck beyond Rice to give Dale the lead.
GOAL: Torquay 0-1 ROCHDALE (Hogan, 86 mins)
Rochdale weren’t ready to settle for just one and three minutes later Vincenti made sure Dale were in the draw for round two as he fired into the roof the net on the re-bound from an Eastham volley.
GOAL: Torquay 0-2 ROCHDALE (Vincenti, 89 mins)
It finished Torquay United 0, Rochdale 2.