Rochdale 2 - 1 Scunthorpe United

Rochdale versus Scunthorpe United

Peter Vincenti scored from close range to earn Rochdale the three points in a scrappy game against Scunthorpe United. Vincenti tapped home a Tom Kennedy cross with five minutes remaining to move Dale up to fifth in League One.

Joe Bunney opened the scoring just nine minutes after coming on as a substitute with a powerful drive only for Dale’s weakness at corners to rear its ugly head when Murray Wallace headed home unchallenged.

The Dale boss made two changes from the side that lost to Burton last weekend. Andy Cannon and Rueben Noble-Lazarus were preferred to Joe Rafferty and Calvin Andrew in the starting line-up.

Scunthorpe will feel they should have taken the lead inside the opening sixty seconds when Olly Lancashire mis-judged a long ball but Tom Hopper hit straight at Lillis when well placed.

Paddy Madden had a couple of chances, the best coming early on the first half. A lucky ricochet fell kindly to McSheffrey, his cross was perfect for Madden but the winger fired wide when he should have done better.

Dale had huge appeals for a penalty waved away by referee Bankes after Henderson’s header appeared to hit the hand of King.

Early in the second half, another mistake by Lancashire gifted Scunthorpe another chance to attack. McSheffrey’s back post cross picked out Madden although this time he saw his shot crash back off the face of the crossbar.

Joe Bunney and Calvin Andrew were introduced as Rochdale looked to stamp their authority on the game and the double change had the desired effect. A swift move involving Vincenti, Allen and Cannon down the right led to Cannon feeding Bunney, the strikers shot powering past the Scunthorpe goalkeeper for his first of the season.

Dale looked firmly in control without testing Daniels and they were made to pay for not taking advantage nine minutes later. A corner from the right found the head of Wallace who planted the ball into the Rochdale net to level the score.

Rochdale still looked to press forward and their positivity was rewarded with just five minutes left on the clock. Kennedy’s dangerous cross from the left found Vincenti at the back post who slotted the ball into the virtually unguarded net to earn the points.

Attendance: 2,958

Rochdale: Lillis, Cannon (Rafferty 76), Lancashire, McNulty, Kennedy, Lund, Allen (c), Vincenti, McDermott (Andrew 56), Noble-Lazarus (Bunney 60), Henderson
Subs: (not used) Alessandra, Diba, Rose, Camps

Scunthorpe: Daniels, Laird, King (c), Wallace, Clarke, Bishop, Ness (Syers 87), McSheffrey, Madden, Van Veen (Adelakun 71), Hopper (Henderson 61)
Subs: (not used) Ayon, Wiseman, McAllister, Goode

Referee: Mr P Bankes
Assistant Referees: Mr A Tankard & Mr W Smallwood
Fourth Official: Mr P Gibbons