| In many ways, this was the most important game of the season so far. Defeat at Barnet at the weekend, with perhaps the manner of the defeat in particular, had left a big question mark on the play off credentials of the team. This game was do or die tonight. Defeat would surely have left us with too big a task. However, the players answered all the questions asked of them tonight and now who would bet against us?
The scoreline may have been 3-1, but it could quite easily have been a lot more than that, as Dale hammered the Lincoln goal, particularly in the first half. Lincoln cleared the ball off the line on at least three separate occasions, as the whole Dale team rose to the occasion. Without exception, every Dale player played magnificently tonight in a thoroughly deserved win.
Keith Hill won a recall to the starting line up tonight, as he came in at left back for the first time in his Dale career. This allowed Mickey Oliver to push forward into midfield, and Paul Ware to drop to the bench.
On Saturday, it was clear within the opening seconds of the match, that the Dale players just weren't going to perform. They were tonight, and they emerged in the opening few minutes like there was only ever going to be one winner. Fired up doesn't come close to it. The programme notes of Steve Parkin had obviously done the trick. Questions were asked. Questions were answered.
The biggest improvement was the midfield. Gary Jones was back to form, but Dave Flitcroft was everywhere in one of his best games for the club against his former side. Full of running, vision and tackling and everything you could ever want in a midfielder.
Perhaps the biggest cheer of the night was reserved for Clive Platt. Platt has been in fine form for the club recently, but has not scored since our FA Cup exit at Cambridge back in November. However, he got the goal that he has so richly deserved as he got Dale off to a flying start in the opening ten minutes.
The goal came in a slightly sloppy manner. Dale had a spell of attacking and the ball landed at Clive Platt's feet from a Paul Connor header. His shot sort of squirmed under the keeper, and just out of reach of the defender on the line to give him his first goal in five months. The celebration showed how much it meant to him.
From that point on it looked like it would be a question of how many we would win by. Plattini had another effort just minutes after which saw him head the ball down from one of the numerous corners we had all night. Unfortunately, keeper Marriott got down well to save it at the second attempt.
Dale were on a role, and could have added to their lead on numerous occasions. One time saw Paul Connor streak into the box, only to be blocked for the ball by a Lincoln defender. Looked a clear penalty, but the referee invoked the ancient rule of obstruction, and awarded Dale an indirect free kick. Clever thinking by Tony Ford saw him lay the ball back, and Gary Jones' blocked effort eventually was cleared.
Lincoln were certainly living dangerously now, and it looked to be a matter of time before Dale increased their lead, such was our superiority. The visitors had a couple of decent attacks themselves, and looked capable of playing neat passing football when they ignored their ineffective hoofing. The passing was their most effective style of play, but it never really provided them with what you would class as a shot.
The second half began, and Dale began it at quite a leisurely pace, and this proved to be their downfall. Lincoln had proved at the weekend in their victory at Chesterfield, that they could not be taken lightly, and although our first half dominance, they had showed enough to warrant precaution. However, Dale failed to heed these warnings, and ten minutes into the second half, the visitors equalised.
And Lincon being Lincoln, their goal was bound to come from a set piece. They had a corner at the Sandy Lane / Willbutts L:ane end, and it was knocked in by bald substitute Stuart Bimson. It went straight to the front post, where Tony Ford and another Dale player were covering former Dale target Lee Thorpe. Thorpe didn't have to jump too far off the floor to divert the ball into the back of the net, with his markers stationary to make it Dale 1 Lincoln 1.
At this stage, the game could have gone either way. Lincoln had improved after withstanding the first half battering, and had took confidence from that. They looked a decent team, and they could easily have gone on and won the game. They didn't!
Enter Paul Connor. Just four minutes after the Lincoln equaliser, the ball came to Paul Connor some thirty yards out. With a defender in very close attention, he shrugged him off, turned and volleyed the ball into the top left hand corner to score one of the best goals scored at Spotland in recent years. This goal made him our top scorer for the season.
He tried a more spectacular effort a few minutes later when he tried to score from the same sort of position that Andy Flounders did against the same opponents some eight seasons ago. However in doing so, he picked up a groin strain and he immediately indicated to the bench that he was injured, and a minute or so later he was brought off in favour of Graham Lancashire. That now leaves Connor with a return of nine goals from his ten Dale matches. Perhaps made all the more impressive by the fact that he has been with draw with about 30 minutes to go in three of those games.
If we thought that the withdrawal of Connor would see the end of the goalscoring, then we were thankfully mistaken. The goal came when a cross was met by a diving header in the six yard box, which gave the Imps keeper Marriott no chance at all. Eventually, from underneath a huge pile of bodies, Mark Monington emerged, and he was credited with the goal.
After that it was simply a case of playing out time. Graham Lancashire had a spectacular attempt at a shot go well wide, which would have even rivalled Connor's had it gone in.
Three very welcome points for Dale, which leaves us one point behind 7th place Scunthorpe with two games in hand on the Lincolnshire side. Nine points from our remaining four games will guarantee us a play off position, and that is assuming all the other clubs win their remaining fixtures.
|
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.