Hartlepool United 1 - 2 Rochdale

Photo: Rochdale AFC

Rochdale players celebrate victory with Joshua McCormack's squad shirt

Rochdale progressed through to the knockout stages of the EFL Trophy thanks to goals either side of the break from Rueben Noble-Lazarus and debutant Matty Gillam on a night dedicated to five-year-old Rochdale fan Joshua McCormack. The youngster, who has a terminal brain tumour, was named as a substitute and even had a shirt with ‘McCormack 55’ on the back hung in the dressing room prior to kick-off.

With injuries, suspension and international call-ups depleting the Rochdale squad, Dale boss Keith Hill named the maximum number of six changes allowed under competition rules. Two of the changes were 16-year-old Aaron Morley and 17-year-old Matty Gillam, who was making his debut after a late call-up to the starting eleven following an injury to Donal McDermott in the warm up.

In front of Hartlepool’s lowest ever crowd of just 380 inside Victoria Park, it was Dale who controlled the first half and had an early chance through Gillam who headed over from close range.

The opening goal came on 21 minutes when Oli Rathbone picked out Noble-Lazarus inside the area who hit a first time left footed shot low past Bartlett in the Hartlepool net. The Dale players rushing over to the bench to hold aloft Josh McCormack’s number 55 shirt to show their support for the youngster.

Gillam had another opportunity minutes later when he fired over from six yards out after a Joe Rafferty corner wasn’t dealt with by the Hartlepool defence.

Dale began the second half in much the same way as the first; substitute Brian Barry-Murphy denied by some last gasp defending after good work from Nat Mendez-Laing.

More good work from the pacey Mendez-Laing set up Gillam to score on his first team debut. The winger beat his man down the right before picking out Gillam for an easiest of tap ins from close range.

Player coach Barry-Murphy saw his game ended early when he collapsed in agony in the 75th minute with the popular member of the back room team suffering a serious Achilles injury.

Josh Lillis in the Dale goal had been a virtual spectator until the 78th minute when he had to be alert to block a shot from Rhys Oates.

Gillam, a product of the Rochdale AFC Academy, should have scored a second with 10 minutes left. Rathbone’s deflected cross picked out the young striker who inexplicably headed against the bar from two yards out.

Hartlepool, who already knew their place in the competition was over after failing to pick up any points, made for a nervy finale for Dale when they halved the deficit with just four minutes remaining. Noble-Lazarus’ mistake outside his own area gifted the ball to Orrell who played in Oates with the substitute slotting past Lillis.

Dale held onto their lead to finish the game top of their group guaranteeing them a home tie in the knockout stages but the night was reserved for Josh McCormack with the Dale boss dedicating the victory to the five-year-old.

Hill, his backroom staff and players will visit Josh on Thursday to present him and his family with his match day shirt, a signed shirt and a match ball from the game, kindly donated by Hartlepool United FC.

Hartlepool: Bartlett, Richards, Bates (Wise 46), Harrison, Martin (Pollock 73), Donnelly, Woods, Walker, Orrell, Derverdics (Oates 64), Paynter.
Subs: (not used) Dudzinski, Hawkins, Laurent, Richardson.

Rochdale: Lillis, Rafferty (c), McGahey, McNulty, Tanser, Morley, Cannon (Mendez-Laing 60), Noble-Lazarus, Rathbone, Thompson (Barry-Murphy 56)(Bunney 77), Gillam.
Subs: (not used) Diba, Hollins, Joshua McCormack.

Referee: Mr S Duncan
Assistants: Mr T Peart and Mr M Dwyer
Fourth Official: Mr B Khatib

Attendance: 380