Hockey: Preston 3 - 4 Rochdale

Jamie Shepherd scores for Rochdale

Rochdale won a difficult match away against Preston on Saturday.

Both teams started the game at a fast pace and pushing men forward in the first 10 minutes.

Rochdale had plenty of possession and several chances to score, but shots by David Gowers and Scott Hempsall-Jones were saved by an in form Preston keeper.

Preston opened the scoring against the run of play and added a second from a penalty corner, just before half time, Rochdale failing to keep out a soft shot.

In the second half Rochdale improved on their passing and started to close down the opposition, creating several chances, resulting in a quick brace of goals from David Gowers to level the score.

Rochdale took the lead after an attack which began with Jamie Shepherd in midfield and a well worked one-two with Michael Waddicor ended in Shepherd scoring.

Preston didn’t give up and levelled the score with less than two minutes left on the clock, after a dubious penalty corner was given by the umpire.

The game took another turn when Rochdale captain Michael Waddicor picked up the ball just past the half way line; with 30 seconds to go, he tore through Preston's midfield, around the defence and slipped the ball between the keepers legs to win the game with 15 seconds to spare.

Waddicor said: "As a team we have dug deep defensively and always knew we would get goals. It was a great ending to the game for me personally, but the three points was all that matters. I have given the Oulderhill Leisure Centre man-of-the-match to James Shepherd for his 110% effort throughout the match.”