Eoghan O’Connell netted a stoppage time winner, as Rochdale came from behind to secure a dramatic 2-1 victory over Hartlepool United on Easter Monday.
The skipper rattled home a powerful shot from 25-yards at the death to win it.
Jimmy Keohane’s second half goal had cancelled out Bryn Morris’ first half volley. After Dale had goal ruled out midway through the second period, it look like game was heading for draw until O’Connell fired home in the 95th minute to win it.
There were two changes to the side that lined up against Stevenage on Good Friday, with Jim McNulty and Matty Done coming into the eleven for Jeriel Dorsett and Danny Cashman.
Rochdale started brightly and both Paul Downing and Matty Done tested early on, following a Dale corner. Done’s initial corner was won by Downing at the near post but his flick on was defended behind for another. That was then cleared out as far as Done who put the ball back in, only to see it defended away again. He was first to it and drove a low powerful effort on goal, seeing it held by Ben Killip at his near post.
Pools took the lead from their first foray forward, with Bryn Morris cushioning home a close range volley, sending it across Jay Lynch and into the far corner, after meeting a ball in from the right.
Rochdale responded positively and Luke Charman fired an effort over 20-yards, as Dale went in search of the equaliser.
Up the other end, David Ferguson saw an effort deflected narrowly wide of the upright.
Shortly before the half hour, Rochdale had their best opportunity of the half but were agonisingly denied by the woodwork. Charman played in Done who clipped the goalkeeper from the edge of the area, only to see his shot come crashing off the bar. The rebound fell for Charman but a last-ditch challenge by Jake Hull stopped him at source.
Omar Bogle scuffed shot from range into the hands of Lynch, before Charman was in on goal again. He stretched to meet a ball in from the left but he couldn’t get enough on his header and glanced it wide.
Before the half was out, Morris had a shot deflected inches wide and he fired an effort narrowly over from the resulting corner.
There was a change at half-time, as Abraham Odoh replaced Corey O’Keeffe for the start of the second half.
Rochdale started the second period really well and got their deserved leveller just after the hour.
Done had seen couple of shots held by Killip, while Max Clark had curled an effort wide from 25-yards.
And it was Keohane who netted the equaliser with 61 minutes on the clock. After a good spell of possession, Clark sent the ball low across the face of goal and Keohane came in at the back post to slot it home.
It looked like Dale had turned the game on its head just five minutes later when they found the back of the net for a second time, but a late offside flag went up to rule out Clark who had gotten the final touch on Downing’s shot.
A second Rochdale substitution followed, with Done making way for Alex Newby, before Max Taylor returned from injury to replace McNulty with five minutes left to play.
Straight after the substitution Newby struck a free-kick over the Pools wall - Killip initially spilled the effort but held at the second attempt.
A minute later, there was a ball over the top for Charman, but the ‘keeper was out to close him down and clear the danger.
It looked like that Dale would have to settle for a point until deep in stoppage time when O’Connell intercepted a pass midway inside his own half and carried the ball through the middle of the pitch, taking it past a number of Hartlepool bodies, before unleashing a rocket from 25-yards that found the far corner.