Johnstone Paint Trophy
Rochdale 0 - 1 Morecambe

Rochdale crashed out of the Johnstone Paint Trophy after a narrow defeat to League Two side Morecambe. Paul Mullin fired the only goal of the game midway through the first half before later seeing his penalty saved by debutant keeper Joel Castro Pereira. Rochdale huffed and puffed but Morecambe comfortably managed the remainder of the game.

The Dale boss made four changes from Saturday’s FA Cup game with Swindon. On loan Manchester United goalkeeper Joel Castro Pereira made his debut whilst Rhys Bennett returned from injury to make his first start since August. Calvin Andrew and Donal McDermott were also named in the starting eleven.

The Football League Trophy isn’t renowned for being high on the list of priorities of football clubs up and down the country, although it is a competition that gives smaller clubs a real chance of appearing at Wembley in the final.

That thought must have been in the minds of Morecambe as they looked sharper and certainly hungrier than Dale throughout and they deservedly took the lead on 17 minutes. Dale’s Achilles heal, defending corners, reared its ugly head as a flag kick was only partially cleared. When the ball was turned back into the mix Mullin was hand to swivel the ball into the top corner virtually unchallenged.

That lead could have been doubled on the half hour mark when Jim McNulty caught Aaron Wilding inside the penalty area with referee Coote having little hesitation in awarding the spot kick. Castro Pereira guessed the right way making a wonderful low save to deny Mullin his second of the night.

Dale rarely had sight of goal and when they did Barry Roche in the Morecambe goal wasn’t really tested. Calvin Andrew and Donal McDermott missed the target when in good positions whilst Michael Rose brought about some gasps with a 20 yard free-kick that whistled just wide.

Morecambe had a glorious chance three minutes from time, Kevin Ellison’s header fed Jamie Devitt who was one-on-one with Castro Pereira but he fired wide.

It was a disappointing lacklustre display from Rochdale but with Wigan and the TV camera’s at Spotland on Saturday, there won’t be time to dwell for too long in this defeat.

Attendance: 1,428

Rochdale: Castro Pereira, Cannon, McNulty (c) (Kennedy 35), Eastham, Tanser, Bennett, Rose, Lund (Alessandra 46), Mendez-Laing, McDermott (Ayina 61), Andrew
Subs: (not used) Lillis, Lancashire

Morecambe: Roche, McGowan, Parrish (c), Edwards, Wilson, Kenyon, Devitt, Fleming, Wildig (Ellison 64), Molyneux (Barkhuizen 64), Mullin (Miller 73)
Subs: (not used) Thompson, Goodall

Referee: Mr D Coote
Assistants: Mr S Rushton & Mr R Wigglesworth
Fourth Official: Mr P Hodskinson