Rochdale were left to rue missed opportunities on Tuesday night following a 2-2 draw with Stevenage at the Crown Oil Arena.
Dale recorded 26 shots on target but couldn’t turn the dominant display into a victory.
Jake Beesley gave Rochdale the perfect start when he netted early on. Against the run of play, the visitors equalised just before the half hour. Dale then went back in front eight minutes later through Josh Andrews, but Elliot Lists goal early in the second half ensured a share of the points.
Manager Robbie Stockdale made one change to the side that lined-up against Walsall at the weekend as Stephen Dooley came in for Aaron Morley.
Beesley broke the deadlock after just five minutes. Liam Kelly’s corner was met by Corey O’Keeffe on the edge of the area and he headed on into the mix, for the forward to turn it home to put Dale in front.
Rochdale created chance after chance after chance before Stevenage equalised against the run of play.
After some lovely build up play, Alex Newby fired over from the edge of the area. A minute later Dale were in again and Newby was denied by the legs of Adam Smith this time.
Jimmy Keohane then sent a ball to the back post for Beesley who came flying in with a stooping header but it was just too high for him and he couldn’t make a connection.
And with 18 minutes on the clock Beesley came agonisingly close to scoring his second of the evening. His header had beaten Smith, but it bounced narrowly wide of the post.
Still Dale continued on the ascendancy.
Newby struck wide from a ball over the top, before Captain Eoghan O’Connell thread a brilliant pass through to Andrews who went down under a push as he tried to get on the end of it.
Rochdale should have been out of sight when Boro equalised in the 28th minute - List fired beyond Jay Lynch from just inside the area.
Dale has been dominant and eight minutes later were back in front. From O’Keeffe’s cross, Andrews bundled the ball home from close range.
The first substitution of the game followed straight after the goal, with Jimmy Keohane being replaced by Conor Grant. Keohane had earlier received treatment and could no longer continue.
Rochdale continued in search of a third and Kelly and Andrews combined with the former striking a shot over the bar.
Dooley was then denied at the near post by Smith, before the 'keeper held Beesley's header on the follow up.
Deep in stoppage time O'Keeffe sent a ball across the face of goal but Smith bravely gathered at the feet of Andrews as he came rushing in.
HT | ROCHDALE 2-1 STEVENAGE
Rochdale were left to rue those first half missed opportunties as Stevenage levelled the scoring for a second time two minutes after the break, in a disappointing blow. List had latched onto a ball over the top and slotted home after rounding Lynch.
In the 52nd minute Lynch pulled off a great save with his legs to deny Jamie Reid before Jeriel Dorsett cleared away Elliot Osborne's rebound on the line.
Either side of the hour Beesley struck wide of the upright on the turn after receiving the all with his back to goal, while O'Keeffe squandered Dale’s best chance of the half so far as struck across goal and wide of the far post.
Up the other end, Arthur Read’s strike through a crowded box crept past the box.
Soon after, Dale were in again but were denied by Smith who dived to his left to somehow keep out Andrews’ point blank header.
After a corner came all the way out to O’Keeffe, he had a curling effort held, as Dale still couldn't find a deserved third.
A second change of the evening followed, with Newby making way for Abraham Odoh.
O’Connell saw an effort from a Kelly corner land in the roof of the net late on, while Lynch got down to punch away Read’s effort in stoppage time.
FT | ROCHDALE 2-2 STEVENAGE