Rochdale 1 - 1 (AET) Coventry City

Calvin Andrew scored the penalty that put Dale into the second round

Capital One Cup first round
Rochdale win 5-3 on penalties

Calvin Andrew scored the decisive penalty as Rochdale made it through to the second round of the League Cup for the first time in four seasons. The substitute sent visiting keeper Reice Charles-Cook the wrong way from 12 yards after 120 minutes of football couldn’t separate the two sides.

On a warm summer evening, Dale were looking to continue where they left off on Saturday in their opening day win as they entertained Coventry City in the first round of the League Cup.

Keith Hill made one change from weekend, Joe Rafferty returned from suspension, replacing Andy Cannon who had a slight injury.

Donal McDermott looks like being a shrewd signing if the opening two games are anything to go by as the former Bournemouth man began to show his quality throughout a dominant first half. The midfielder sent several dangerous crosses into the area causing panic at times in the Coventry defence.

Peter Vincenti headed one of McDermott’s centres agonisingly wide whilst Ollie Lancashire thought he’d scored with a downward header, again from McDermott’s cross.

Charles-Cook was by far the busier keeper and he pulled off a fine flying save to deny McDermott with five minutes left of the first half.

As the clocked ticked towards 45 minutes, McDermott finally got the beating of Charles-Cook with a wonderful strike. Callum Camps picked up the ball inside his own half before feeding McDermott on the edge of the area. With seemingly nothing on, the winger sent a curling strike beyond the despairing dive of the keeper and into the top corner to send his side in 1-0 up at the break.

Coventry saw more of the ball in the second half without really troubling Josh Lillis.

The introduction of James Maddison certainly helped the entertainment levels although it took him until the 81st minute to trouble Lillis. The substitute wriggled free inside the area - his shot being brilliantly saved by the Dale keeper.

Although keeping Coventry at arms length, Dale looked under pressure and it finally told with six minutes left. A low cross from the left wasn’t dealt with, Marcus Tudgay on hand to slide the ball into the bottom corner to force extra time.

Dale rallied in extra time, Ian Henderson at the heart of most of Dale’s attacks. His cross saw Jamie Allen glance a header goalwards, Charles-Cook gathering at the second attempt.

Roles were reversed three minutes later when Allen turned provider, Henderson heading straight at the keeper from close range when he perhaps should have scored.

Peter Vincenti had penalty appeals turned down when felled inside the area by Stokes.

Henderson blazed over when played in by Andrew and the two combined again late on, this time Henderson shooting into the side netting.

With the scoreline still level after 120 minutes, it was down to the lottery of a penalty shoot-out to decide who went through.

Michael Rose, Ian Henderson, Tom Kennedy and Joe Rafferty all converted their spot kicks meaning Calvin Andrew had to score after Rueben Lameiras had chipped Coventry’s fourth kick against the bar. The big striker stepped up to send Charles-Cook the wrong way and send his side through to the second round.

Rochdale: Lillis, Rafferty, Lancashire, McNulty, Kennedy, Allen (c), Camps (Rose 96), McDermott (Noble-Lazarus 64), Vincenti, Bunney (Andrew 46), Henderson
Subs: (not used) Diba, Tanser, Eastham, Alessandra,

Coventry City: Charles-Cook, Stokes, Martin, Ricketts (c), Philips, Morris, O’Brien (G Thomas 76), Lameiras, Vincelot (Maddison 51), Fleck, Tudgay
Subs: (not used) Burge, Johnson, C Thomas, Haynes, Swanson

Referee: Mr E Ilderton
Assistant Referees: Mr S Oldham & Mr G Hilton
Fourth Official: Mr P Hodskinson

Attendance: 1,986