With Col being a part timer, I'm on report duty today and for once it's on the same night as the game!  Read on for full story.

A couple of moments of stupidity have cost Rochdale two points tonight and left me absolutely gutted upon leaving the ground and to be honest, I’m still gutted now. 

With Dale coasting to victory, 2-0 up in quite easily their best performance of the season, Lee Thorpe was sent off for a reckless two footed challenge in what seemed like no more than about a minute after he came on as substitute in the second half and it was downhill from their as McArdle scored an own goal and Reuben Reid put on a mask and striped jumper to steal a point at the death. 

New loan signing Jordan Rhodes came straight into the starting line-up replacing Chris Dagnall and Clark Keltie returned to the side replacing Ciaran Toner.  Other than that it was a n unchanged team meaning that Dale lined up with:  Russell, Ramsden, Kennedy, Stanton, McArdle, Buckley, Rundle, Keltie, G. Jones, Le Fondre and Rhodes.  On the bench were Wiseman, Thorpe, Toner, Dagnall and M. Jones. 

The first half was one that Rochdale dominated really although Russell was called upon early on to keep out a Danny Harrison shot while Andy Warrington in the other goal did well to keep out a Rhodes header. 

Both sides were struggling to create chances early on but about half way through the Dale half, Dale got going with chances falling to Le Fondre, Rundle and Keltie but the first two went wide and the keeper was on hand to save Keltie’s freekick. 

Rueben Reid had a powerful effort parried out for a corner by Russell before Jordan Rhodes rose highest for a Ramsden cross to head goalwards but Warrington did very well to keep it out. 

With half time fast approaching, Dale took the lead.  Will Buckley suddenly round himself in the clear and he raced towards goal and shot from a few yards out but Warrington saved it but he could only parry it to Rhodes who smashed in the rebound for his debut goal. 

Dale doubled their lead shortly after the half time break when a great counter attack released the very impressive Will Buckley through on goal and he made no mistake this time as he finished brilliantly past Warrington to make it 2-0. 

Surely the result was in the bag as Dale were looking comfortable.  Jordan Rhodes even had a goal disallowed due to offside. 

With 66 minutes gone, Lee Thorpe came on to replace Adam Le Fondre. 

With 69 minutes gone, Lee Thorpe lunged into a 50/50 two footed and was given a straight red card by the referee.  A decision that, given our atrocious view from miles away, many Dale fans didn’t understand but I was pretty sure it was a correct one. 

That sparked Hilly into bringing Ciaran Toner on for Will Buckley. 

Then, with Dale looking like they were still heading for victory with ten men against a poor Rotherham side, a mix-up between Sam Russell and Rory McArdle in defence ended up with McArdle heading the ball back over the head of Russell and into his own goal. 

That goal changed the momentum of the game and Rotherham came at us with Reuben Reid looking dangerous and going close on a couple of occasions.   

Chris Dagnall had come on for Jordan Rhodes moments before he was sent one on one with the keeper and he elected to blast the ball goalwards and got it all wrong as the ball flew over the bar, past the running track and into the empty seats.  A great chance to kill the game off. 

The Dale fans were anxiously hoping that Dale could hold on and the 4^th official added a massive 6 (six) minutes.  Typically perhaps, 5 minutes into the 6 minutes of stoppage time, Rochdale reject Reuben Reid went and scored to give Rotherham a very much undeserved draw and send the Dale following home gutted.

Someone call 999, there’s been a robbery!

Photo: Action Images

Rochdale Polls