Point puts stop
ROCHDALE stopped the rot of four straight defeats as they picked up their first point of the year against Fleetwood at the Crown Oil Arena on Saturday.
After the visitors were reduced to ten men early in the second half, Dale produced a dominant display and created a number of chances to win the game. However, given the fragile nature of the team’s confidence of late, the avoidance of defeat was of the utmost importance.
Ian Henderson’s 75th minute equalising header brought relief all round, Fleetwood having taken a first half lead through Paddy Madden, so as Keith Hill suggested, the point was far from the worst result in the world.
There were two changes to the starting line-up with Calvin Andrew and home debutant Ethan Ebanks-Landell, both second half substitutes in the 2-1 defeat at Peterborough, coming in for Ryan Delaney and MJ Williams.
Ethan Hamilton, another making his home bow, had the first effort of the afternoon, collecting Joe Rafferty’s pass on the edge of the area and firing low at goal, a comfortable save for Alex Cairns in the Fleetwood goal.
Dale looked a threat on the left-hand side in particular, Ross Wallace cutting out Andrew’s drive at at target from one such move down the flank while the big striker was deemed offside after being set free on goal by Ian Henderson’s through ball.
The home side had a golden opportunity to take the lead in the 18th minute. Holden’s square ball from the left-hand side of the penalty area towards Andrew was behind the striker, but he was able to spot the incoming Henderson, the skipper arriving on the ball at pace but side-footing his shot wide of Cairns’ far post.
There was a glaring miss at the other end of the field soon after that, Paddy Madden brilliantly picking out the run of James Wallace on the right and his delivery left Josh Lillis stranded and presented Wes Burns with an open goal, the Fleetwood man volleying over the crossbar from all of five yards.
Dale hit back with Callum Camps battling through three challenges to force the ball into the mix where Andrew and Henderson both tried to force the ball home, the duo appealing for a penalty when a Fleetwood defender appeared to handle the ball but referee Geoff Eltringham having noen of it.
Fleetwood put together a period of pressure around the half hour mark which culminated with a superb 25-yard, curling effort from Lewis Coyle after Dale had partially cleared a corner. Coyle’s effort had the beating of Lillis in the Dale goal but struck the outside of his post.
That period of pressure from the Cod Army appeared to have passed but Dale found themselves a goal down on 36 minutes. Ross Wallace floated a cross the right towards the edge of the six-yard area and Fleetwood dangerman Madden glanced a header wide of Lillis and into the corner of his net.
Burns had a fine effort saved by Lillis after beating Ebank Landell and cutting into the area on the left, his curling attempt towards the far corner of the goal cut out by Lillis’ full-stretch dive.
Luke Matheson was introduced for his league bow at the start of the second half, replacing Matt