Saturday 14th April 2007- 3pm

1

Rochdale

2

 19

Carl Muggleton

1

Matt Gilks

2

John Mullins

2

Simon Ramsden

25

Ashley Kitchen

12

Alan Goodall

5

Jon Olav Hjelde

23

Rory McArdle

8

Stephen Dawson 88

14

Gary Brown

6

Alex Joh-Baptiste

16

David Perkins 84

22

Callum Lloyd 75

26

Glenn Poole

7

Matt Hamshaw 63

25

Joe Thompson 63

11

Mickey Boulding

19

Lee crooks

14

Brian Hodge

9

Chris Dagnall 73

9

Barry Conlon

17

Glenn Murray

Substitutes

1

Jason White

13

Lloyd Rigby

23

Danny Sleath

11

Adam Rundle 63

16

Nathan Arnold 63

30

Louis Dodds 73

20

Martin Gritton 88

22

David Flitcroft

30

Rory Boulding 75

4

Tom Bates 84

SCORERS

BOOKINGS

Stuart Ashworth at Field Mill

Rochdale ended a win-less run at Field Mill that stretched back to 1994 in the dying seconds thanks to a late goal in added time by Leicester City loanee Louis Dodds.

It was a game that had all the hallmarks of an end-of-season affair between two teams with nothing to play for, but the win has put Keith Hill's side within four points of the play-offs as things tighten in the race for that seventh spot.

Things didn't start to well for the home side who lost defender Gareth Jelleyman in the warm up after he picked up an ankle injury.It meant youngster Ashley Kitchen was drafted into the starting eleven for his debut and to be fair to the youngster he didn't look out of place.

Rochdale manager Keith Hill also shuffled his pack making a number of changes to his side introducing Joe Thompson and Gary Brown who made rare starts and Glenn Poole making his first.

Rochdale started well enough in the bright sunshine at Field Mill and the many changes didn't really affect the side too much.Dale still looked to take the game to their opposition and their direct approach lead to the first goal of the game arriving inside the first ten minutes.

A long ball from the back by Gary Brown found Rochdale striker Glenn Murray who'd beat the offside trap to skip clear and lob advancing keeper Carl Muggleton.The Stags fans inline with play were incensed screaming Murray was offside and it was something they reminded the referee's assistant about throughout the remainder of the half.

On 15 minutes veteran Barry Conlon went close to levelling the game after he looped a header onto the post from a Matty Hamshaw centre and following a scramble Rochdale managed to clear their lines.

Mansfield crafted another opportunity to level on 24 minutes after Dawson was put through but Gilks read the situation well, coming off his linel to collect the ball at the feet of the Stags man.

The home side continued to enjoy the better openings in a game where both shared good amounts of possession and on 43 minutes Boulding should have done better after going through one-on-one with Matt Gilks, but the Dale keeper managed to block the low shot with his legs.

Sadly there was nothing he could do just before the break after a defender Hjelde scored from close range.A good break forward brought a corner from the right which somehow found its way through to the unmarked defender on the back post and he smashed home from inside the six-yard box.

The second half seemed to take an age to get going and it was Mansfield who looked the most likely to add to their tally.On 53 minutes Barry Conlon blasted a close range shot after long throw into the Dale box wasn't cleared.The ball dropped at the strikers feet but his effort was blocked.

When they began to play Keith Hill's side began to find chinks in the Mansfield armour but time and again they were thwarted by John-Baptsite who had a solid game at the back for the Stags.

Despite their good spell Mansfield always carried a threat or two going forward and had the ball not stuck under Boulding's feet after Dawson had slotted him through in a central position, Dale could have found themselves behind.

Keith Hill madea couple of changes bringing fresh legs and a new appetite into his side with the introduction of Adam Rundle, Louis Dodds and Tom Bates after the hour had passed and chances began to stack up for the visitors.

It was an Adam Rundle run, cutting in from the right flank that allowed Glenn Poole to smash an effort goalwards, but his shot was blocked before any questions could have been asked of 'keeper Muggleton.

The game looked destined to end with the spoils shared but just as Mansfield nicked a goal in the final action of the first half, Dale snatched the win with almost the last kick of the game.

Louis Dodds stole in to seal the win in injury time after Gary Brown, with his second assist of the afternoon crossed from the right.Dodds' glancing header flew past Muggleton in front of 243 travelling Dale fans, nestling inside the back post.

The win not only secured a first at Field Mill for a while, but ensured Keith Hill's record of never having lost two consecutive games remained intact.Realistically any hope of a the seventh spot has gone, but Dale fans will probably wonder just what might have been if the season had a few more additional games left.

Match Stats

ATTEMPTS

12

ATTEMPTS

9

ON TARGET

9

ON TARGET

7

FREEKICKS

13

FREEKICKS

20

CORNERS

5

CORNERS

7

OFFSIDE

10

OFFSIDE

3

YELLOW CARDS

0

YELLOW CARDS

0

RED CARDS

0

RED CARDS

0

POSSESSION

47%

POSSESSION

53%

Stats by PA

Star Player

Mansfield Town

Rochdale

Alex John-Baptiste

Gary Brown

Managers Comments in Brief

Billy Dearden

Keith Hill

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