Football: Peterborough United 0 - 1 Rochdale

Rochdale earned a massive three points against play-off hopefuls Peterborough United despite playing most of the second half with ten men after having Ian Henderson sent off for a foul on Gwion Edwards.

Henderson had earlier fired Dale into the lead after Conor O’Malley could only parry Calvin Andrews shot.

Josh Lillis pulled off a string of fine saves as a backs against the wall performance just about kept Peterborough at bay.

With on loan Bradden Inman ineligible to play against his parent club, Mark Kitching was given the chance in midfield whilst Ryan Delaney returned to a three man central defence.

Starting the day three points from safety, Dale were looking to bounce back from the midweek defeat to Wigan but started this game on the back foot as Peterborough tried to press home their home advantage.

With a vociferous home crowd behind them, Peterborough had an early claim for a penalty waived away after Matt Done blocked a shot with his arm, although seemingly accidental.

Rochdale took the lead in the 16^th minute through captain Henderson. Calvin Andrew did well to hold the ball up inside the area before sending a low shot which was pushed away to the right by O’Malley but Henderson was quickly in to keep the move alive. With seemingly nothing on, Henderson turned and fired a shot from a very acute angle into the roof of the net giving O’Malley no chance.

Henderson almost doubled his goal tally with an acrobatic bicycle kick just after the half hour mark. Calvin Andrew rose highest to head the ball back into the mix, but Henderson’s overhead kick flashed narrowly wide.

Mark Kitching had a penalty appeal turned down after he felt he was tripped inside the box and the referee booked him for dissent.

Peterborough rarely threatened Lillis’ in the opening 45 minutes, although winger George Cooper went close with an 18-yard curling effort that went narrowly wide.

The major talking point of the game came seven minutes into the second half when Henderson was shown a straight red card for a foul on Edwards. With the Peterborough man beating Henderson for pace, the Dale captain hooked Edwards’ trailing foot sending him sprawling to the floor. Referee Mr Coggins quickly brandished the red card leaving Rochdale playing for almost 40 minutes with just ten men.

Peterborough threw everything at Dale but Josh Lillis pulledoff a string of fine saves to keep them at bay.

Hughes powered a header that Lillis tipped away and moments later Baldwin headed straight at the Dale keeper.

Lillis had to be alert when Edwards met a free kick with a diving header. Hughes on the follow up planted his header wide.

Peterborough did have the ball in the net when Edwards reacted quickest to a Lillis save from substitute Danny Lloyd, but an assistant's flag cut short the Peterborough celebrations.

It was a real backs against the wall display for the majority of the second, although Dale did have a couple of chances of their own.

Joe Thompson, on as a 60^th minute substitute, raced into the area and looked to be caught as he tried to get his shot away but the referee waved away appeals for a penalty. From the resultant corner, Andrew saw his towering header graze off the top of the crossbar.

With four minutes time added on, the Dale defence had to stand strong under a barrage of Peterborough attack. The league’s leading scorer Jack Marriott fired an angled drive which ricocheted around inside the box with Delaney eventually putting the ball out for a corner.

With the clock almost showing four minutes of time played, Danny Lloyd brought about a wonderful save from Lillis. The substitute sent a looping header that looked to have beaten Lillis but the keeper somehow stretched to tip the ball away.

The full time whistle brought about joyous scenes by the Dale players, who celebrated with the 244 travelling fans a win that moves Dale to within a point of safety with Oldham the visitors to the Crown Oil Arena on Tuesday.

Peterborough: O’Malley, Shephard, Hughes, Baldwin, Edwards (Kanu 83), Forrester, Marriott, Morias (Lloyd 72), Lopes, Freestone (Ward 55), Cooper
Subs: (not used) Bond, Doughty, Anderson, Grant

Rochdale: Lillis, McGahey, McNulty, Delaney Rafferty, Done, Camps (Thompson 67), Kitching (Ntlhe 60), Rathbone (Wiseman 60), Andrew, Henderson
Subs: (not used) Moore, Adshead, Davies, Humphrys

Referee: Mr A Coggins
Assistants: Mr C Fitch-Jackson and Mr S Lewis
Fourth Official: Mr J Farries