Goals from Isaac Burgess and Lucas Bispo Martinez, as well as a penalty save from Lennon MacLorg meant that Dale progressed through to the second round of the Lancashire FA Challenge Trophy.
Two second-half goals from Isaac Burgess and Lucas Bispo Martinez, followed by a penalty save from Lennon MacLorg, meant that Dale came away with a 2-0 win away at Daisy Hill and would be the team that progressed through to the next round of the Lancashire FA Challenge Trophy.
The Dale lineup featured mostly players from the Youth Team, with just Moe Shubbar and Michael Afuye involved from the first team.
Dale looked dangerous going forward from the first minute, with John Dunlop looking to cause an early problem for Daisy Hill.
The home side defended well and turned the ball behind for a corner, which was lifted in towards Afuye. The Dale winger wasn’t able to get enough on the ball to direct it goalwards, and the ball went out of play.
After just four minutes, Dale thought that they had taken the lead. Bispo Martinez, who proved to be a real thorn in Daisy Hill’s side, found Darren Ehimamiegho, who powerfully moved towards goal. His effort was fired just wide of the post and into the side netting.
Bispo Martinez again showed a great bit of pace, skipping away from the strong Daisy Hill challenges, this time the midfielder found Afuye, whose shot travelled across the face of the goal and just wide of the far post.
It was Moe Shubbar’s turn to show his pace. He quickly turned to get away from a challenging defender before finding Ehimamiegho, who rounded the ‘keeper before seeing his goal-bound shot blocked by a covering defender.
It was all Dale in the first-half. MacLorg was only called into action once, with the Dale ‘keeper travelling away from his goal to palm a Daisy Hill corner away from danger.
Before half-time, Afuye and Dunlop flashed some dangerous balls across the box, but they were dealt with by the Daisy Hill defence. Dunlop also had a shot held by the ‘keeper after he cut in from the right and fired goalwards on his left foot.
After the break, Daisy Hill had their first real chance of the game as their forward broke through the Dale defence before firing wide of MacLorg’s goal.
Only two minutes after, Dale took the lead. An out-swinging corner seemed to curve towards goal, with the ball looking like it was going to drop in at the back post. Dale defender Isaac Burgess was there to meet it, forcing the ball over the line.
Dale grabbed their second just moments later. Shubbar sat a defender down before firing towards the goal. His effort was initially saved but only as far as Bispo Martinez, who slotted home to give Dale a 2-0 lead.
Only a minute later and Dale thought that they had a third. A real dominant start to the second-half for Lee Thorpe's side as Afuye did brilliantly to beat his man before firing towards the net. However, a covering defender managed to get back on the line and flicked the ball away from danger.
The game started to slow down after that for Dale, and the home side started to grow into the game. A Daisy Hill striker managed to get goal side of Braden Edghill and on a tight angle from goal, was brought down by the Dale defender.
It was a great chance for the home side to get back into the game. However, MacLorg guessed right and saved the penalty by diving to his left. The ball was deflected into the path of the Daisy Hill penalty taker, who smashed the ball over the bar from what could have only been about eight yards out.
Kevin Dos Santos did well to block a shot before there was a stoppage in play due to an incident in the crowd.
The game restarted around ten minutes later after a supporter had been stretchered out of the stadium. Our thoughts are with that supporter, and we hope that they make a full recovery.
In the final 15 minutes, the game petered out. MacLorg was more than equal to a number of Daisy Hill chances, holding two efforts from range and parrying another away from goal before collecting the ball.
The referee soon after blew for full-time after a wet evening in Daisy Hill.
Dale XI | Maclorg, Dunlop, Burgess, Edghill, Horne, Dos Santos, Edwards, Bispo Martinez, Shubbar, Ehimamiegho, Afuye.
Subs | Nicholson, Mann, Mane, Clift, Kelly.