Rochdale 2 - 1 Notts County

Rochdale came from behind to beat Notts County thanks to goals from Steven Davies and Sanmi Odelusi to go top of group F in the EFL Trophy.

Odelusi slid home the equaliser just after the hour mark to draw the teams level after Jonathan Forte had earlier given County the lead.

Steven Davies, on as a half-time substitute, earned Dale the three group points to put his side on the brink of progression to the knockout stages.

With injuries and an international call-up for Matt Lund decimating the Dale squad, manager Keith Hill made the maximum number of six changes allowed according to the competition rules. There was a first appearance of the season for Reuben Noble-Lazarus, whilst Scott Tanser and Harrison McGahey were given starts in defence. Andy Cannon and Sanmi Odelusi were given the chance from the start and there was a first professional start for 16-year-old academy product Aaron Morley.

In a poor first half it was County that struck the opening goal when a free kick wide on the right wasn’t dealt with by the Dale defence. Jonathan Forte bundled the ball over the line from close range.

County were good value for their lead, although Dale almost equalised straight after when captain for the night Callum Camps played a defence splitting pass to Odelusi; the striker was thwarted by the agility of Scott Loach in the County goal.

Hill threw Steven Davies on at the start of the second half with the Dale boss looking to use his experience to get Dale back in the game and he duly did so.

A great ball to Davies by Oli Rathbone, another debutant after his summer arrival from Manchester United, allowed the striker to drive a dangerous ball across the face of goal and Odelusi threw himself forwards to slide home.

Dale certainly looked the better side after the equaliser with Morley and Rathbone pulling all the strings in midfield.

Rathbone set up Davies for the winner - his superb pass was controlled well on the chest by Davies who slotted past Loach.

Rafferty did well to clear a shot off the line as County looked to send the game towards a penalty shoot out and although Dale played the last few minutes with 10 men after Steven Davies went off injured, they comfortably saw out stoppage time to go top of the group.

Rochdale: Lillis, Rafferty, Canavan, McGahey, Tanser, Camps (c)(Rathbone 50), Noble-Lazarus (Mendez-Laing 75), Cannon, Morley, Thompson (Davies 46), Odelusi.
Subs: (not used) Logan, McDermott, Barry-Murphy, Hollins.

Notts County: Loach, Hewitt, Laing, Hollis, Milsom, Campbell, Richards, Aborah (c)(Audel 67), Burke, Oliver, Forte (Snijders 46).
Subs: (not used) Rodman, Toole, Edwards.

Referee: Mr J Simpson
Assistants: Mr P Hodskinson and Mr B Smallwood
Fourth Official: Mr A Tankard

Attendance: 1,147