Rochdale 1 - 1 Gillingham

Callum Camps scored Rochdale's goal

Rochdale were left to rue missed opportunities as they had to settle for a draw despite taking the lead against play-off rivals Gillingham at Spotland.

Callum Camps, Joe Bunney and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing all went close to adding to Camps’ first half stoppage time opener.

Those missed chances would later come back to haunt play-off chasing Dale as Gillingham levelled with one of their rare attempts on target when skipper John Egan headed home.

Rochdale remain four points adrift of the top six with just three games remaining.

In what had been described as the biggest game of Dale’s season so far, sixth placed Gillingham were the visitors to Spotland. Victory for Dale would see them climb to within one point of Gillingham who occupied the final play-off berth at the start of play.

The small but expectant crowd inside the ground were almost silenced inside the opening five minutes when Joe Rafferty’s short back pass allowed Bradley Dack to race in at goal. The newly named League One player of the season was thwarted by the quick reactions of Rochdale keeper Josh Lillis who snuffed out the danger.

Straight away Dale launched a quick counter-attack of their own, Joe Bunney getting the ball stuck under his feet couldn’t test Stuart Nelson.

Bunney forced Nelson into a fine one handed save when his shot deflected off Egan with the keeper stretching to tip the ball around the post.

From the resultant corner, Olly Lancashire perhaps should have done better when he glanced a header wide.

Rochdale got their noses in front in first half stoppage time through Camps’ fifth goal of the season. Mendez-Laing’s intelligent pass picked out Camps inside the area, he dropped his shoulder before curling the ball into the bottom corner.

For about a 20 minute spell in the second half, Dale carved open the Gillingham defence time after time but couldn’t find the second goal their play deserved.

Camps’ deft header brought about a low save from Nelson.

A tantalising run from McDermott beat four players; his powerful shot beaten away by the keeper.

A Gillingham attack was broken down by Dale as they looked to hit their opponents with a swift counter-attack; Mendez-Laing firing agonisingly wide.

Those missed chances would come back to haunt Dale as Gillingham levelled. The Dale defence failed to clear a deep free-kick into the area and when the ball was popped back into the mix, Egan climbed highest to head beyond Lillis.

The goal rocked Dale as Gillingham were happy to settle for a point.

Egan almost snatched an unlikely winner three minutes from time but his looping header was tipped over by Lillis.

A draw suited Gillingham more than it did Rochdale and with just three games remaining, the hopes of reaching the end of season play-offs look remote at best.

Attendance: 2,385

Rochdale: Lillis, Rafferty, Eastham, Lancashire, McNulty, Rose, Allen (c), Camps, Mendez-Laing (Andrew 80), McDermott (Vincenti 70), Bunney (Holt 78)
Subs: (not used) Collis, Kennedy, Cannon, Syers,

Gillingham: Nelson, Jackson (McGlashan 61), Egan (c), Ehmer, Garmston, Oshilaja, Hessenthaler (Osadebe 90), Morris (McDonald 61), Wright, Norris, Dack
Subs: (not used) Morris, El-Abd, Donnelly, Dickenson

Referee: Mr K Wright
Assistants: Ms H Byrne and Mr D Benton
Fourth Official: Mr C Akers