Rochdale’s pre-season schedule continued on Tuesday night, as Dale welcomed League One Rotherham United to the Crown Oil Arena.
Jake Beesley opened the scoring from the penalty spot shortly after the hour, before doubling the side’s advantage seven minutes later. The Millers netted two late goals to draw the game 2-2.
Rochdale started the match strongly and set the tempo for the rest of the game.
After just four minutes Alex Newby sent a dangerous ball across the face of goal for Beesley who came sliding in at pace to meet it, but he couldn’t get a decisive touch and the ball flashed narrowly wide.
Soon after, Aaron Morley struck a powerful effort just past the post from 25-yards.
Mat Sadler hit a free-kick from range wide the upright, before Viktor Johansson got down to gather Matt Done’s shot on the turn.
Shortly after the half hour, Newby produced a fine save from the ‘keeper, who tipped his effort away from the target.
Before the half was out, Ben Wiles sent a header straight at Jay Lynch, in a rare Rotherham sight on goal.
HT | ROCHDALE 0-0 ROTHERHAM UNITED
There was one Rochdale change for the start of the second half, as Trialist D replaced Lynch in goal.
The trialist ‘keeper was called into action four minutes after the restart, when he gathered a Michael Ihiekwe header.
Another Dale substitution followed with 52 minutes on the clock - Abraham Odoh was introduced in place of Done.
A short time later, Freddie Ladapo hooked an effort into the arms of Trialist D.
Two more changes followed just after the hour, with Eoghan O’Connell and Jimmy Keohane replacing Trialist B & Jimmy McNulty.
Soon after, Rochdale came agonisingly close to opening the scoring, all but for Joe Mattock who put in a last ditch header to stop Beesley getting on the end of Conor Grant’s cross.
Rathbone was tripped after the resulting corner was sent into the area and Dale were awarded a penalty. Beesley made no mistake as he slammed home his spot kick.
Three minutes later up the other end, there was a brilliant block on the line by Trialist C to deny Ladapo.
But Dale’s second came a short time later, with Beesley rounding off a well-worked move with a fine finish, firing beyond the ‘keeper.
Another two Dale changes followed - Rathbone and Morley made way for Stephen Dooley and Ethan Brierley, while Trialist A was replaced Joe Dunne soon after.
In between the substitutions, Odoh went for the top corner with a superb curling effort, and it would have been a spectacular goal if it had have gone in, but unfortunately it dropped narrowly wide.
The Millers halved the deficit in the 82nd minute, when Chiedozie Ogbene broke into the area and curled the ball into the bottom corner.
In the final changes of the game, Jordan Scanlon, Kacper Mialkowski and Anisio Jesus came on for Grant, Beesley and Newby.
And with a minute of the match remaining, Ihiekwe headed home at the back post from a free-kick to level the scoring.
FT | Rochdale 2-2 Rotherham United
Dale XI | Lynch, Trialist B, Trialist C, McNulty, Trialist A, Rathbone, Morley, Grant, Newby, Done, Beesley.
Subs | Trialist D, Wade, O’Connell, Mialkowski, Dunne, Kershaw, Brierley, Keohane, Odoh, Scanlon, Dooley, Jesus