Rochdale were forced to settle for a point at home to York City on Saturday, despite a dominant performance in an entertaining encounter against the Minstermen at Spotland.
It was a game where Dale were on top for the majority, and despite creating plenty, they were unable to find a way past a well organised York side, resulting in a repeat of the score-line from Bootham Crescent earlier in the season.
The point, which extends Dale unbeaten run to six, sees Keith Hill's side remain top of the Sky Bet League Two table.
There were two changes to the side who started the game against Fleetwood Town last weekend, with Captain Peter Cavanagh and Joe Bunney given the nod ahead of Michael Rose and George Donnelly, who both dropped to the bench. There was also a welcome return for Scott Hogan who was named as a substitute after recovering from the knee injury, which has kept him sidelined since the start of last month.
Dale were energetic and employed their patient build play as they looked to carve an opening, and after what had been a relatively even affair during the opening exchanges, Dale had their first real opportunity of the half with ten minutes on the clock - the effort coming from a Ian Henderson free-kick. Centre-half Olly Lancashire rose highest to get on the end of the set-piece, which was sent to the back post. He could only steer a header narrowly over the bar.
The Lancashire effort signalled a turning point in the match as Dale took a foothold on the game, and sixty seconds after the effort from the defender, Rochdale again came close.
Joe Rafferty had linked up well with Bunney as he thread a quality pass through to his team-mate. The young striker twisted and turned before sending a dangerous ball into the 18 yard box. A brave Jamie Allen threw himself at it in an attempt to send it beyond Nick Pope, but the ball took a deflection and went behind for a corner.
York City enjoyed a rare sight on goal in the twelfth minute as Ryan Brobbel fired a shot from 25 yards at the target. The effort failed to trouble ‘keeper Josh Lillis as it went past his post.
It was the Minstermen’s only opportunity of the game, with Dale comfortably in control of the match.
As the game progressed it was one way traffic as Rochdale launched wave after wave of attack on the visitors, but despite their domination, they were unable to unable to find a way past a well organised York side. Most notably in the 43rd minute Pope was on hand to deny Done, who curled a well struck free-kick in on goal. The alert ‘keeper punched the effort clear.
HT: ROCHDALE 0-0 YORK CITY
There were no changes for either side at the interval.
The second half started very much as the first had finished, with Dale applying pressure on the visitors’ goal, and three minutes after the re-start Allen fired an on target snap shot at goal, forcing Pope into a save.
For a short spell, the Minstermen threatened, mostly from set-pieces but they failed to test Lillis.
In the 63rd minute Hogan made his welcome return as he replaced Bunney, while seven minutes later Peter Vincenti made way for Graham Cummins.
And the pair were involved in a sweeping move forward with 73 minutes on the clock.
Henderson, Cummins and Hogan all linked up on the right hand side of play, playing in Lund who is in a central position. The midfielder fired an effort goal-wards, which was kept out by Pope.
Two minutes later Hogan created another opportunity as he took advantage of a stray ball. He picked it up around 30 yards from goal, and drove a powerful effort at the ‘keeper. A stretching Pope punched the strike clear.
Dale were turning the screw and in the 82nd minute Hogan came agonisingly close to netting on his return. Hendo clipped a pass to the back post for the awaiting striker, who nodded down beyond Pope, only to see his effort graze the post on its way past the wrong side of the upright.
In the remaining moments of the game Rochdale continued in the same vein as they had done throughout the game, but York repelled the pressure piled on them to see out a goalless draw.
It finished Rochdale 0, York City 0.