Dale never win at Port Vale apparently. Well they did yesterday with a 3-2 away from home thanks to goals from Beesley (2) and O’Keeffe.
You’ll have to forgive me for a late report. Yesterday’s away day started at 7:30am and didn’t finish till gone 2am so today has been a struggle.
As the team news came through, there were more than a few sighs when it became known that McNulty was having to start. Juriel Dorsett was nowhere to be seen so presumably he was injured. Dale lined up with:
Dale started the game atrociously. For some bizarre reason, O’Connell had lined up on the left of the back three instead of McNulty which visibly disjointed us from the start and we looked all over the place.
How Port Vale didn’t take the lead in the third minute is beyond me. Morley missed the interception on a low cross which then found its way to Jamie Proctor at the back post who somehow side footed it wide when it was easier to score.
Dale’s horrendous start continued, and Proctor was given another chance and this time took it to make it 1-0 to the home side. Dale couldn’t clear their lines in the box with McNulty getting the ball stuck under his feet and Morley’s clearance barely clearing the box, the ball came back in and Proctor beat Max Taylor in the air to head past Coleman.
We eventually began to wake up and get back in the game and we were back level on 24 minutes. A brilliantly worked goal saw Newby play a lovely flick to Morley who played a good ball out to Corey O’Keeffe and the on-loan right wing back put in a brilliant ball for Jake Beesley who brilliantly headed Dale level to make it 1-1.
Big Jim had a hairy moment when he blasted a backpass to Coleman who obviously struggled to get it under control and then had the audacity to have a go and the Dale keeper!
Dale had two penalty shouts waved away, the first on Odoh which did look a penalty but the second on O’Keeffe wasn’t a penalty at all, another where he was already on his way down, but the move ended with Morley crossing for Beesley whose header was saved by the Valiants’ keeper.
The half time whistle blew and Dale went in level.
Port Vale started the second half well again, but Dale managed to take the lead on 53 minutes. Jake Beesley with his second of the afternoon and his second header as well. More good play with Morley and Newby found Keohane who put in another great cross that was met brilliantly by Beesley to make it 2-1 to Dale.
The scores were level a few minutes later with some shockingly sloppy play from both Dooley and Morley who were fannying around with it in the middle and Morley had the ball stolen from him and Proctor was away on the right. He cut in, nipped past Dooley and smashed the ball past Coleman. Amatuerish stuff from Rochdale.
Dale decided to make a change with Abraham Odoh coming off for Danny Cashman, fighter of the nightman, replacing him on 67 minutes and ten minutes later George Broadbent replaced Stephen Dooley.
With just over 10 minutes to go Dale took the lead and they did it in brilliant fashion. Substitute Cashman, champion of the sun, picked the ball up out wide and drive inside before playing a sensational pass over to Corey O’Keeffe in the box and he slid it past the keeper to send the travelling Dale fans mental. I ended up over the seats behind me battered and bruised but loving every second. Get the f*** in there, 3-2 Rochdale!
Alex Newby came off for Conor Grant and he came off to a fabulous reception as he walked in front of the away end with the singing section belting out his new chant, courtesy of Ryan Lockett of the Podcast, "Saturday night and I like the way you move, Alex Newby!”
A nervy end until their keeper came up for a corner and we cleared and O’Keeffe broke and tried to smash an effort from the half way line but his effort was well wide but that wasted time for Dale to see the game out and pick up a vital three points to keep our upturn in form going!
PLAYER RATINGS:
Joel Coleman — 6 (Nowt he could do with the goals)
Corey O’Keeffe — 7 (Did well again and bagged the winner)
Max Taylor — 6 (Not as impressive as recently, outjumped for the opener)
Eoghan O’Connell — 6 (Few unsteady moments)
Jim McNulty — 5 (Please either go 4 at the back or play someone else instead of Jim)
Jimmy Keohane — 7 (Great assist for Beesley’s second)
Aaron Morley — 5 (So frustrating because the lad can pass a ball but he’s so poor defensively. Didn’t cover himself in glory for either goal conceded)
Stephen Dooley — 6 (Awful for the second goal, when everyone’s fit and up to speed I don’t want to see us relying on him so much)
Alex Newby — 5 (Thought he was poor first half to be honest but better second)
Abraham Odoh — 7 (Thought he did well before getting subbed off)
JAKE BEESLEY — 8 (Superb today, excellent goals)
SUBS:
Danny Cashman — 8 (Tremendous when he came on, what a ball over to O’Keeffe for the goal)
George Broadbent — 7 (Did well when he came on I thought)
Conor Grant — Not on long enough