Southend United 2 Rochdale 1
The day started none to well for Rochdale boss Keith Hill when he discovered that defender Marcus Holness, who had been given dispensation by his parent club Oldham Athletic to play in the game couldn't as he was actually cup tied having played for Ossett whilst on loan in an earlier qualifying round.
With so many players injured and now all four of his loaness ineligible the Dale boss had to throw previously injured and certainly not match fit trio Lee Crooks, Nathan D'Laryea and Nathan Stanton into the frame in what he described beforehand as a "rotating formation of The Trojan Horse"
His makeshift team gave everything they had in the end but were left to bemoan yet more poor refereeing decisions and a wonderful last gasp save from the home keeper that denied them a deserved replay.
Whatever plans that had been made prior to kick off went completely out of the window inside just 26 seconds as wing back Steven Hammell skipped to the by line and crossed for midfielder to Nicky Bailey to head home from 6 yards. Keeper Sam Russell's FA Cup debut touch for the club was to pick the ball out of the back of his net.
For 5 or 10 minutes it looked being a torrid afternoon as the home side poured forward and made chances that saw Kallum Higginbotham clear an Adam Barrett header off the line and Russell make a good stop to deny Bailey a 2nd goal withing the opening 5 minutes.
Slowly but surely though Hilly's battlers introduced themselves to each other and began to get a toe hold in the game and that would become a real foothold after 11 minutes. Gary Jones in his usual tigerish fashion dispossessed Barrett then fed the ball out to the excellent Higginbotham who then produced an excellent cross that was cleverly turned in from close range by Adam le Fondre-at last a goal that he couldnt have taken off him by an official.
The main turning point of the game came with Dale enjoying a decent spell of possession only for the home side to break on 24 minutes. In challenging with striker Gary Hooper it appeared that Nathan Stanton lost his footing and fell to the ground thus causing Hooper to fall over him in a tangle of legs. Incredibly despite a total lack of apeals from the home players referee Horwood pointed to the spot and Matt Harrold coverted from 12 yards. A yardstick on the decision being the fact that each and every member of the home press around our commentary point were in agreement that it was at best"harsh"
Again Dale hit back well with Dave Perkins forcing a save out of the keeper, Glenn Murray being denied a clear penalty when he was barged over in the 6 yard box and just before the break Rory McArdle seeing his goalbound header hooked off the line by Franck Moussa.
Though the home side again started the second period the better Dale again steadied the ship. Hill introduced wingers Rory Prendergast and Adam Rundle for Glenn Murray and Lee Crooks and his side went in search of an equaliser. Time after time they enjoyed good possession in good areas but failed to breach a determined rearguard as the home side sat back to protect what they had.
Le Fondre headed wide from a volleyed Rundle cross, Prendergast saw his effort well saved and Jones saw his hard low effort go narrowly wide.
Mr Horwood wasn't finished with Dale yet as from a rare foray forward by the home side in the 90th minute Moussa was challenged by Jones, who appeared from 70 yards away to get 100% of the ball. Unfortunately Moussa produced an Olympic standard dive with double twist that drew the officials appreciation and led to another spot kick . This was already into time added on and it looked like curtains. Russell had other ideas though reacting brilliantly to keep out Harrold's low effort.Justice was therefore half done.
It was almost done in it's entirety as with the last attack of the game Prendergast produced a cross from the right, Le Fondre met it almost perfectly to send a header towards the bottom corner only for home keeper Steve Collis to produce a stunning save to deny him.
Given all that has gone on this week and the decimation of the squad this was a more than creditable performance against a side sitting in 5th place in a division above Dale. If only we weren't talking about officials again and if only Alfie's header had gone in a replay would now be in the offing. The Great Gods of Football do appear to be shaking their sticks in our direction at the moment.
They say that things even themselves up over a season so a surging run is due to start very soon.
NB As this is an FA Cup game and the FA retain the rights to it we apologise that the highlights cannot appear on Daleworld
