Play-off heartbreak for Rochdale after extra-time defeat

Southend United knocked Rochdale out of the play-offs after coming from 3-1 down to win 4-3 in extra time.

Dale led 2-1 at half-time thanks to goals from Devante Rodney and Jay Bird. An early second-half penalty by Rodney added a two-goal cushion, but Tom Hopper and Leon Parillon brought Southend level, before Charley Kendall scored the winner in the 101st minute.

Rochdale started the brighter side, immediately in the action with a free-kick inside the first minute, headed wide by skipper Ethan Ebanks-Landell.

It didn’t take long for the hosts to open the scoring. Devante Rodney received the ball from Tobi Adebayo-Rowling, danced past both the defender and the keeper, and slotted home his 18th goal of the season.

Southend responded well with a flurry of chances midway through the first half. Josh Walker beat his man and got a shot away, which deflected wide. From the resulting corner, the Shrimps had the ball in the net, but the flag was up for offside. Nathan Ralph also posed a threat, heading wide from another corner.

It was Ralph, Southend's captain, who eventually brought them level on 22 minutes. A cross from top scorer Gus Scott-Morriss bounced up in the box, and Ralph met it with a stooping header to equalise.

Just six minutes later, Rochdale regained the lead. Tarryn Allarakhia’s cross was met with a glancing header from Jay Bird, marking his fifth goal in his last seven appearances.

Jimmy McNulty’s side dominated down the right wing in the first half, with Bird and Rodney causing persistent problems for Southend's defence, exposing moments of frailty at the back.

The home side could have sealed the game by half-time, but Ryan East's effort was stopped by Southend keeper Nick Hayes after a defensive mix-up.

A two-goal cushion seemed vital, and they got it 11 minutes into the second half. Tyron Gordon was fouled in the penalty area, and Rodney calmly converted from the spot, smashing the ball down the middle and into the roof of the net, leaving the keeper with no chance.

At 3-1, Dale looked confident and maintained their tempo. Harvey Gilmour was denied by Hayes after unleashing a stinging shot from the edge of the area.

McNulty made a flurry of changes, bringing on Dale legend Ian Henderson alongside Liam Hogan, reshaping the team.

But Southend struck twice in six minutes to draw level. Former Bury loanee Tom Hopper got the first, initially hitting the post before heading home the rebound.

Hopper was involved again for the equaliser. A break down the right ended with his shot being saved, but Leon Parillon pounced from a tight angle to score his first goal for Southend since joining from Slough in January.

Rochdale nearly snatched a winner in normal time. Centre-back Sam Beckwith had two efforts within seconds, his first blocked, and the second cleared off the line.

Beckwith also had a chance early in extra time, heading wide at the far post from a corner.

Southend started extra time brightly, with Dale goalkeeper Killian Barrett forced into a point-blank save from substitute Macauley Bonne.

Soon after, Southend took the lead for the first time. A well delivered corner was headed back across goal by Ben Goodliffe into the path of Charley Kendall, who turned it home to send the 1,100 travelling Southend fans wild.

Harvey Gilmour’s free-kicks provided hope for Dale in the second half of extra time. One was blocked by the Southend defence, and another clipped the crossbar, producing a heart-in-mouth moment for the home fans.

A scrappy final few minutes of added time followed, but Dale couldn’t find the equaliser and will play National League football again next season.

Speaking post-match, manager Jimmy McNulty said: “I’m gutted, to exit the playoffs and end our season this way, especially the manner of it, is really hard to take. The lads gave absolutely everything, they were out on their feet.”

“From a neutral’s point of view, it must’ve been a fantastic game to watch. It was end-to-end, with chances at both ends. We scored three goals and had more big opportunities even when it swung in Southend’s favour.”

“Everyone here loves this club and wanted to see us go all the way.”

Rochdale: Barrett, Gordon, East  Weston 109’), Ebanks-Landell (c) (Ayinde 105′), Allarakhia (Hogan 63’), Gilmour, Rodney, Adebayo-Rowling, Barlow (Henderson 71’), Bird (Mitchell 78’), Beckwith (Buyabu 105’). Unused sub: Ferguson. 

Southend United: Hayes, Scott-Morriss, Ralph (c), Bridge (Chambers-Parillon 60’), Husin (Gubbins 115’), Walker (Bonne 60’), Taylor, Goodliffe, Hopper (Kendall 97’), Appiah-Forson, Coker (Miley 90+4’).

Attendance: 5560 (1113 Southend United fans).