Rochdale 3 - 3 Charlton Athletic

Photo: Brad Journeaux

Rochdale v Charlton Athletic

Rochdale and Charlton had to settle for a share of the spoils after this pulsating six goal thriller. Dale took the lead, their first goal in five games when visiting keeper Declan Rudd spilled a Donal McDermott free kick into the path of Niall Canavan, who tapped home from close range.

Charlton equalised just before the half time break when a mistake in the Dale defence allowed Jordan Botaka to race away and he finished at the second attempt, his first coming back off the post.

Charlton edged in front midway through the second half when a corner wasn’t dealt with and substitute Jorge Teixeira nodded a loose ball over the line.

Calvin Andrew powered a header past Rudd to equalise for Dale before Nathaniel Mendez-Laing curled home what looked like the winner with six minutes remaining.

Teixeira scored a last minute equaliser for Charlton in an almost carbon copy of his first goal.

Rochdale manager, Keith Hill opted for two changes from Tuesday’s defeat at Bolton. Callum Camps was recalled to the starting eleven for the first time in two games whilst Donal McDermott got his first start since September.

Having gone 474 minutes without a goal prior to this game, it only took four minutes for Dale to go in front. A deep McDermott corner was spilled by Rudd under pressure with Canavan having the easy task of prodding over the line.

The game ebbed and flowed all game with both sides having chances.

Joe Thompson saw a header cleared off the line after a dangerous corner and on the counter attack Josh Magennis fired horribly wide from close range.

Magennis was a handful for the Dale back line and when he beat the home defence for pace, Ben Wilson was on hand to block with his feet.

Rudd in the Charlton goal had to be at full stretch to tip a curling McDermott effort over the cross bar.

Rudd was at it again in the 25th minute when Andrew’s powerful header looked destined for the top corner - the keeper just about pushing his effort around the post.

Charlton equalised somewhat against the run of play four minutes before the break when a long punt upfield saw a mistake between Niall Canavan and Keith Keane give Botaka a free run at goal. The striker clipped the ball over Wilson, the post temporarily came to Rochdale’s rescue before Botaka slammed home the loose ball at the second attempt.

Charlton took the lead not long after the hour mark when a deep corner was headed back into the mix by defender Patrick Bauer and fellow defender Jorge Teixeira headed in from a yard out.

The lead only lasted three minutes as Calvin Andrew rose well to head home a centre by Ian Henderson to make the score 2-2.

Andrew slammed a shot off the face of the cross bar after beating the Charlton offside trap before Mendez-Laing, who had only been on the field eight minutes, curled a beauty into the bottom corner from 25 yards.

Charlton threw everything at Rochdale and got their reward in the last minute. Another deep corner was headed back in by Bauer and once again Teixeira was in the right place to put the ball over the line.

A very entertaining game, but both managers will be frustrated their side didn’t take all three points. In the end a draw was just about a fair result.

Rochdale: Wilson, Rafferty, Keane, Canavan, Kitching (Noble-Lazarus 58), Camps (c), McDermott (Rathbone 64), Allen, Henderson, Andrew, Thompson (Mendez-Laing 76).
Subs: (not used) Logan, McGahey, McNulty, Cannon

Charlton: Rudd, Solly (c),Bauer, Konsa (Teixeira 28), Page, Crofts, Forset-Caskey, Botaka (Novak 79), Watt (Mavididi 64), Holmes, Magennis.
Subs: (not used) Da Silva, Aribo, Phillips, Jackson.

Referee: Mr S Duncan
Assistants: Mr W Smallwood and Mr J Hunt
Fourth Official: Mr G Salisbury

Attendance: 2,842