A 90th minute winner from Jake Beesley booked Rochdale’s place in the second round of the Emirates FA Cup, as Dale beat Notts County in a first round replay at Meadow Lane on Tuesday evening.
Josh Andrews put Rochdale ahead on 15 minutes, but the Magpies equalised shortly after the hour mark. Beesley headed home at the death to set up a televised game against Plymouth Argyle in December.
There were four changes to the side that line-up against Leyton Orient at the weekend, as Jay Lynch, Max Taylor, Aidy White and Andrews came in for Joel Coleman, Sam Graham, Jimmy Keohane and Abraham Odoh.
The home side tested first, when a ball over the top was met by Ruben Rodrigues who had a first time volley held by Lynch.
A couple of minutes later Corey O’Keeffe sent a dangerous low ball into the area from the right which was diverted narrowly wide of the upright.
Kairo Mitchell was through one-on-one with Lynch a short time later following a well-worked move forward from inside their own area, but he could only strike high over the bar.
Dale enjoyed a spell of pressure as they grew into the game and they broke the deadlock with a quarter of an hour played. After an Aaron Morley corner was partially cleared away, Liam Kelly arrowed the ball to the back post for Andrews, who sent a brilliant volley beyond Anthony Patterson.
Three minutes later, Lynch was out quickly to block Aaron Nemane’s close range effort at the near post.
Jake Beesley then pounced on a poor clearance and went for goal from 25-yards, but Patterson was equal to it, getting down to hold the effort.
A couple of minutes later, Notts County were denied by the woodwork. Rodrigues’ rifled shot from the edge of the area looked destined for the top corner, but it came back off the underside of the bar.
It was a scare but Dale comfortably saw out the half and came agonisingly close to doubling their advantage just after the half hour mark. O’Keeffe charged onto Morley’s ball over the top and dinked the ball over the advancing goalkeeper but his effort dropped inches wide of the far post.
Five minutes from half-time Andrews had a shot deflected narrowly wide, after White had nodded O’Keeffe’s cross back into the middle.
HT | NOTTS COUNTY 0-1 ROCHDALE
The hosts had a couple of early second half opportunities from free-kicks but failed to trouble Lynch. Wootton firstly headed over, before Rodrigues curled his set-piece over.
Just before the hour, Newby had a shot from distance deflected into the hands of Patterson.
Moments later, the Magpies were in on goal after capitalising on Kelly’s misplaced pass but Captain Eoghan O’Connell got back to divert the danger, blocking behind Rodrigues’ effort.
A spell of Notts County pressure followed and they equalised soon after, in the 63rd minute, when Nemane turned home a cross to the back post.
A double Dale substitution followed, as Matty Done and Stephen Dooley replaced White and Andrews.
Lynch pulled off a fine save to deny the Magpies, as he appeared from nowhere to keep out Matt Palmer’s volley, diving across goal to hold the strike through a packed box.
Up the other end, Newby curled an effort over from the edge of the area. It was his last action of the game, as two more changes came soon after. Newby made way for Odoh while George Broadbent came on for Morley.
Rochdale finished the game strongly and were denied on the line by Patterson. Dooley had picked out Done at the back post with a clip over the top but the ‘keeper got a hand to it to turn it away. Dale kept the pressure on and Beesley got a header away this time, but again, Patterson stood firm, getting behind it to hold.
A minute later O’Connell came inches away from netting a fierce strike from 30-yards but it went agonisingly wide.
Still Rochdale came forward and in the 90th minute Beesley won it for Robbie Stockdale’s side. Odoh had kept a move a live, laying the ball off to Done who in turn crossed for Beesley who sent a header into the far bottom corner.
Dale will now face Plymouth Argyle live on ITV in the second round of the competition at the Crown Oil Arena on Sunday 5th December, 12.15pm kick-off. Ticket details will be announced in due course.