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Match Reports

Report | Dale 1-1 Plymouth Argyle

24 April 2018

Match Reports

Report | Dale 1-1 Plymouth Argyle

24 April 2018

Dale earned a point to move out of the relegation zone with a 1-1 draw at home to Plymouth Argyle.

After an entertaining first-half in which both sides created chances, Argyle broke the deadlock eight minutes after the break through a Joel Grant header.

Dale had the perfect response though, as Ryan Delaney equalised with a looping header just two minutes later, a goal which would eventually secure a share of the spoils.

Keith Hill made three changes to his starting eleven from the weekend’s draw with Bradford City. Scott Wiseman, Mark Kitching and Stephen Humphrys replaced Joe Rafferty, Jim McNulty and Joe Thompson.

The first-half was a fast-paced affair, with both sides creating a number of chances.

Kitching, Humphrys and Inman all sent efforts off target for Dale, whilst Argyle danger man Graham Carey sent an effort off target before having a free-kick beaten away by Josh Lillis.

Lillis then saved an effort from Antoni Sarcevic who had found his way into the area, shortly before Carey curled a superb effort off the far-post, with Sarcevic’s follow up held by Lillis.

Callum Camps drilled an effort into the arms of Plymouth stopper Remi Matthews, before a scramble in the Plymouth goalmouth on the stroke of half-time saw Ryan Delaney’s effort blocked away.

Rafferty and Matthew Gillam replaced Kitching and Humphrys at half-time, and Dale made a positive start, as Camps forced Matthews into a fine save with a poke goalwards from Wiseman’s cross.

Wiseman provided another good ball into the area two minutes later, which Andrew headed straight at Matthews.

However, it was the visitors who broke the deadlock against the run of play, when Grant nodded home from Ruben Lameiras’ hook back into the six-yard box.

Dale’s response to the setback was superb, and they were level within two minutes. Inman delivered another superb corner, from which Delaney sent a looping header in at the far post.

Substitute Gillam had a great chance to put Dale ahead just before the hour mark, when he brought down Wiseman’s cross superbly at the back post, but fired over on the turn.

Inman saw a shot beaten behind for a corner as Dale continued in the ascendency, but neither side could create a clear cut effort as the game became a much more even one.

Andrew fired well over for Dale after a great touch, and Grant and Lionel Ainsworth saw efforts wide for the visitors, before Carey fired a late contentious free-kick over the bar.

A valuable point for Dale which moves them out of the relegation zone, going into the final two games of the season.


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