Rochdale were held to a 1-1 draw by National League side Notts County on Sunday afternoon at the Crown Oil Arena, as their Emirates FA Cup Round 1 tie goes to a replay at Meadow Lane next week.
Manager Robbie Stockdale made two changes to the side that won 2-1 at Barrow last Saturday, with goalkeeper Jay Lynch coming in for Joel Coleman, and Stephen Dooley replacing Alex Newby, who wasn’t named in the 20-man squad.
Rochdale had the better of the opening exchanges, with their high press causing several problems for on loan County ‘keeper Anthony Patterson. Dion Kelly-Evans was booked in just the third minute of the game for a foul on Abraham Odoh.
It was Odoh who had the first attempt of the game, finding space in a central area, before curling a right-footed shot just wide of the goal. Dale once again came close to opening the scoring in the 23rd minute. An Aaron Morley corner went long to the back post in a rehearsed move, and it was right wing-back, Corey O’Keeffe, with the first-time volley that sailed just wide of the top right corner.
The visitors grew into the game and had big chances of their own to take the lead before the half-hour mark. A ball crossed into the Rochdale box from the left-wing fell to the feet of Callum Roberts 8 yards from goal, but he couldn’t get his shot away and a volley from Joel Taylor on the edge of the box was sent wide of the left post from the next phase of the attack.
O’Keeffe had another big opportunity to give Dale the lead a couple of minutes later. Jake Beesley once again pressurised Patterson who couldn’t cleanly clear his lines, and O’Keeffe had half of the goal to aim at but saw his attempt blocked by a defender in the six-yard box.
County striker Kyle Wootton missed a golden chance on the half-hour mark, with a free header 7 yards from goal after a cross from Taylor on the left flank, but he couldn’t force a save from Dale ‘keeper Lynch as the effort went wide.
It was Dale who took the lead right on the stroke of half-time. Abraham Odoh’s short corner to Liam Kelly was crossed in towards Dale captain Eoghan O’Connell who’s touch took the ball into the path of the once again unmarked O’Keeffe who controlled the ball before side-footing it into the top right corner, with a little assistance from the post on its way in, to send the home side into the break one ahead.
Rochdale started the second half brightly and had opportunities to build on their one-goal lead. Kelly collected an overhit cross from Beesley and played it to Odoh inside the area, whose shot on the turn was off target. However, it was a fast-flowing move that gave Dale their best chance of the second half. Jimmy Keohane’s pass to Beesley was laid off first time into the path of Odoh who dribbled into the box, before returning the ball to Beesley in a central position 8 yards from goal, but the effort was kept out by the right foot of Patterson.
County manager Ian Burchnall reacted by bringing on Aaron Nemane at right wing-back who had an instant impact on the game. He broke forward in a counterattack with space to shoot on the right-hand side of the box, and his shot was deflected out for a corner which resulted in the equaliser. Matty Palmer’s cross found Wootton who rose highest at the front post to head past Jay Lynch and level the game with half an hour to play, to the delight of the 754 travelling fans.
Chances were hard to come by for either side in the final third of the game. Matty Palmer and Ruben Rodrigues both saw attempts from outside the box sail over the crossbar at the Pearl Street End of the Crown Oil Arena.
In the final minute of the ninety, Dale had huge penalty shouts waved away by referee Ross Joyce. Substitute Conor Grant dribbled into the area and looked to have been brought down by Richard Brindley, but Joyce’s verdict was a goal kick, and no further action was taken.
Dale manager Robbie Stockdale felt a draw was probably a fair result: “We obviously score a goal on the brink of half time and you’re hoping then that you kick on and get a bit of momentum, it’s a cup tie so they’re going to throw a few things at us and when they did it became a little bit edgy, but I still felt although we maybe didn’t do enough in the game to win it, the chances that we had – we had a clear cut chance (Beesley’s shot), I think there’s a penalty, so on those opportunities, we could easily be saying we didn’t play very well and we’re through to the next round – as it is, we didn’t play very well and we’re still in the hat, so that’s fine – if you can’t win, don’t lose.”
Stockdale felt his side were unlucky to not be given a penalty in the closing stages of the game when Grant was brought down: “I think it’s a penalty. I’m sure if you ask Ian (Burchnall, Notts County manager) he’ll say that their player touched the ball. I just find it so strange that the referee doesn’t award a penalty and if he thinks that the player has made contact with the ball, he doesn’t give a corner. If he gives a corner, he just says the player touched the ball, but if he gives neither, you have to scratch your head. But I’ve always said from day one, I’m not going to hide behind a referee’s decision if we don’t get on the right end of a result.”
Looking ahead to the replay, which will take place at Meadow Lane next midweek, Robbie was optimistic about Dale’s chance of progression but knows not to underestimate the threat from Notts County: “We’ve seen what they’re about, they’re a good team, all but a football league team really, so we know it will be a difficult game going away from home but we’ve picked up good results away from home as well so there’ll be no fear, we’ll try and play on the front foot, we’ll try and be a little bit more progressive with the play on the ball. They’re a good team, they’ll be pushing to get back into the football league, there’s no doubt about that.”
Dale goal scorer Corey O’Keeffe agreed that the replay will not be straightforward for the League Two side: “They’re a decent team and they showed that today, they were hard to breakdown, and it will be the same again when we play them at their place”
