Doncaster Rovers 0 - 2 Rochdale

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Ian Henderson’s late brace secured an away win for Rochdale

Ian Henderson’s late brace secured an away win for Rochdale, a first since August. Henderson finished off a swift counter attack when he curled beyond Doncaster keeper Thorsten Stuckmann with six minutes left and deep into stoppage time sealed the win tapping home after good work from McDermott.

Doncaster substitute Keshi Anderson left the field on a stretcher with a suspected broken leg just 15 minutes after coming on.

The Dale manager named loan goalkeeper Joel Castro Pereira in the starting eleven, one of five changes from last weekend’s defeat by Wigan.

On a bitterly cold day in South Yorkshire, chances were few and far between.

Doncaster defender Cedric Evina inadvertently hitting the woodwork when trying to play the ball into the centre was the closest either side came in the opening forty minutes.

Dale’s Donal McDermott went close with a lobbed effort from outside the area, agonisingly missing the target.

Castro Pereira tipped an Andy Williams shot around the post as the clock approached the 45 minute mark.

Rochdale were much improved after the break and certainly looked the more likely to score.

Joe Bunney saw a powerful drive blocked after McDermott’s quick break whilst the Irishman hit Dale’s first shot on target just a minute later but Stuckmann easily saved.

Rochdale’s counter attack looked like it might be the best way of breaking the deadlock and so it proved with six minutes left. Callum Camps’ positive drive split the Rovers defence, with Ian Henderson picked out by the Northern Ireland Under 21 International on the left of the area. Henderson promptly curled the ball beyond Stuckmann into the top right hand corner.

One soon became two as another breakaway brought about another goal. McDermott’s run saw him one-on-one with Stuckmann, with the keeper managing to push the midfielder wide as he tried to go around the big stopper. With the chance looking like it had gone, McDermott had the presence of mind to put the ball across the face of goal where Henderson was on hand to tap in his fifth of the season.

It might have been a long time coming but an away win at club the size of Doncaster Rovers is always a special feeling for the travelling faithful and with a long journey to Gillingham to come on Tuesday, those brave enough to make the long midweek trip will be hoping for something similar at The Priestfield Stadium.

Attendance: 6,125 (276 from Rochdale)

Rochdale: Castro Pereira, Bennett, Lancashire, McNulty, Kennedy, Cannon, Camps (Rose 87), McDermott, Vincenti (Andrew 62), Bunney (Mendez-Laing 81), Henderson
Subs: (not used) Lillis, Tanser, Alessandra, Eastham

Doncaster: Stuckmann, Evina,Butler, Taylor-Sinclair, Alcock, Grant, Coppinger (c), Middleton, Mattioni (Stewart 86), Wiiliams, Tyson (Anderson 57) (N’Guessan 75)
Subs: (not used) Forrester, Marosi, Whitehouse, Davies

Referee: Mr K Wright
Assistants: Mr W Grunnill and Ms A Fearn
Fourth Official: Mr R Atkin