Crewe Alexandra 2 (Westwood 71, Tootle 77) Rochdale 2 (Dawson 53, Higginbotham 74)

Reporter: Jan Harwood
Date online: 26/12/2009

Crewe brought Rochdale's six game winning run to an end following a Christmas cracker at Gresty Road. Crewe dominated the opening half but could not find a goal before the game burst into life in the second. No-one in the ground could deny that Crewe deserved a share of the spoils, the only disappointing thing for Keith Hill's men would be that Dale twice surrendered leads.

Craig Dawson hit his ninth goal of the season to put the visitors ahead early in the second half. Crewe struck back with a fine half volley from Ashley Westwood from the edge of the box before the goal of the game from Kallum Higginbotham restored Rochdale's lead. Crewe never looked like giving up the ghost and Matt Tootle's tap in ended the scoring.

Both sides pushed for winners but another goal would have been harsh on either side in a game that was a superb advert for lower league football.

Dale were somewhat fortunate to go into the half time break on level terms after Crewe dominated the chances in the opening period.

Calvin Zola and Clayton Donaldson were causing Dale all kinds of problems and if either of them could have finished any of the numerous chances that fell their way Crewe could have been ahead or even in the clear.

As it was Dale perhaps should have led at the break themselves as Chris Dagnall missed the chance of the half, failing to make contact with the ball when ideally placed six yards out.

A crucial linesman's decision prevented a nervous looking Dale outfit from going behind early. Forwards Zola and Donaldson gave the Dale backline the run around in the opening ten minutes and it was their combination that put Donaldson in the clear, and he finished calmly before turning to see a flag raised for offside.

Slowly the visitors came into it but through the ever threatening Zola, Crewe would always have an outlet to trouble the Dale defence and if the rangy striker had found his touch early on he would surely have put his side ahead. From the edge of the box Zola miscued wide and minutes later Tom Heaton did well to turn a curling effort away from danger.

Dale's first attempt of note came as Jason Kennedy fired straight at Steve Phillips after the visitors had knocked the ball around the edge of the Crewe box with some confidence for the first time in the encounter.

As much as Dale's forays forward had been against the run of play in the opening 25 minutes, they should have been ahead midway through the half when Matt Flynn fired a dangerous low cross into the six yard box. Chris Dagnall stole a yard on his defender and all to do was find a touch to turn the ball into the net but Dale's top scorer missed his kick.

On the half hour Crewe came close to finding the first half goal their display had deserved as Donaldson robbed Dawson by the left touchline and burst into the box to find his striker partner with a looping cross. Zola had to generate all of the power himself but he rose superbly to head inches past Heaton's far post.

Rochdale simply did not look themselves in the first half and this was no more evident than when Tom Kennedy played the ball straight into the path of Joel Grant, who raced into the box before pinging a shot just past the upright.

Dale started the second half like they knew that they had underperformed in the first and almost took the lead in the opening seconds in unlikely circumstances as Matt Tootle, under no pressure whatsoever at the back post, almost turned the ball into his own net as he cleared for a corner.

The visitors started to play the brand of possession football with which they have become accustomed and it earned them a run of three quick corners. Craig Dawson got his head to the first two and guided his efforts wide, but with the third he emerged at the back post unmarked to volley emphatically home.

Crewe came on strong after going behind and Nathan Stanton almost gifted them an equaliser as he presented a woefully short backpass to Donaldson. Heaton did superbly to save the blushes of the centre half as he denied Donaldson at full stretch and somehow the visitors kept Crewe at bay.

Dale weathered the storm and began to look more comfortable in their lead but when Crewe won a succession of corners the pressure was back on. Heaton and the Dale backline held firm under aerial bombardment but they could never fully clear their lines and when the ball fell for Ashley Westwood on the edge of the box he unleashed a volley that travelled through the legs and into the corner of the net.

Suddenly the game opened up into a real riproaring encounter. Dale sought the lead again and got it in spectacular fashion as fell invitingly for Kallum Higginbotham and from fully 25-yards out the substitute unleashed an unstoppable strike into the top corner.

No sooner had Dale took the lead than Crewe were back at them on the break. Tom Kennedy miss timed a tackle on halfway and the home side exploited the space in behind the full back to full extent. Donaldson got in behind and this time Heaton could not hold the low drive and Tootle was on hand to tap into the empty net.

Attendance: 5563.

Crewe: Phillips, Brayford, O'Donnell, Donaldson, Zola, Grant (Moore 80), Mitchel-King, Murphy, Westwood, Tootle, Walton.
Subs (not used): Legzdins, Jones, Miller, Shelley, Worley, Schumacher.

Rochdale: Heaton, Flynn, T. Kennedy, Stanton, Dawson, J. Kennedy, Taylor (Jones 84), Thompson (Higginbotham 51), Atkinson, O'Grady, Dagnall.
Subs (not used): Taberner, McArdle, Hogan, Toner, Glover.

Booked: T. Kennedy.

Attempts (on target): Crewe 16 (8) Rochdale 8 (4)
Free kicks: Crewe 13 Rochdale 8
Offside: Crewe 2 Rochdale 3
Corners: Crewe 3 Rochdale 1

Referee: O Langford.