Football: Scunthorpe United 3 - 3 Rochdale

Rochdale came from behind to draw and maintain their unbeaten start to the season away from home. Two goals from Olly Rathbone and a first of the season from Matty Gillam earned a point but Dale came close to taking all three points in stoppage time.

New loan signings Sam Hart and Zach Clough were given starts for Rochdale and Olly Rathbone was also preferred in midfield. With Ryan Delaney away on international duty with Republic of Ireland U21s, Jim McNulty deputised. After his midweek heroics in the EFL Trophy, 15-year-old Luke Matheson was rewarded with a place on the substitutes bench.

Scunthorpe's Glanford Park hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for Rochdale teams over the years. In fact, it was 1999 the last time a Rochdale side took all three points away from Scunthorpe and this game started badly for Dale. Inside the opening ninety seconds, a free kick on the right for Scunthorpe was whipped into the area and Lee Novak sent his free header past Magnus Norman to open the scoring.

One soon became two when more poor defending gifted Scunthorpe another goal. Ryan Colclough picked up possession on the right wing and after ghosting past three Rochdale defenders, sent a powerful left footed shot into the net.

Scunthorpe were good value for their lead but with ten minutes left of the first half, Dale came into the game.

A free kick on the edge of the area was laid off by Rathbone to Camps who forced a good save from Alnwick low down to his left.

Ian Henderson went close when he turned well inside the box, but Alnwick was out bravely to block the his effort.

Dale started the second half as they ended the first as they took the game to their hosts.

Rathbone sawa dipping shot tipped over the bar by the Scunthorpe keeper.

Dale were applying pressure and it paid off when Rathbone scored seven minutes into the second half. Andy Cannon’s run across the edge of the area was halted when he was tripped 20 yards out. Sam Hart took the free kick and his low shot was only parried by Alnwick and Rathbone was on hand to tap the ball in.

Having just got back in the game, Dale did not defend another set play well enough two minutes later. Josh Morris’ left wing delivery was met by the diving header of Charlie Goode who was completely unmarked to restore Scunthorpe's two-goal cushion.

Rochdale manager Keith Hill brought on Aaron Wilbraham with Andy Cannon making way.

Sam Hart's corner was only partially cleared and when Rathbone picked up outside the area, he unleashed a powerful shot that deflected past Alnwick to make it 3-2.

The tide had certainly turned in Dale’s favour as Scunthorpe struggled to cope.

Rathbone almost got his third but Alnwick equal to his shot with twenty minutes left.

There was some desperate defending from Scunthorpe as they adopted an ‘anywhere will do approach’ in the final minutes.

The Dale pressure finally paid off when Gillam, on in the first half for Zach Clough, flashed a shot that took a deflection en-route to finding the back of the net.

It was some turn around fromRochdale and it could have got better had Wilbraham finished a flowing move deep into stoppage time. Hart’s run down the left, and subsequent ball into the danger area, was stepped over by Andrew and, with the goal gaping, the substitute blasted over the bar from 18 yards out.

The point will be seen as a good point but there was a hint off disappointment its wasn’t all three points at the full time whistle.

Scunthorpe: Alnwick, Perch, Goode, Burgess, Borthwick-Jackson, Morris, Lund (Horsfield 81), Ojo ©, Colclough, Novak (Humphrys 77), Ugbo
Subs: (not used) Flatt, Dales, Hornshaw, Wooton, Butroid

Rochdale: Norman, Rafferty, McGahey, McNulty, Hart, Camps, Cannon (Wilbraham 58), Rathbone, Andrew, Clough (Gillam 32), Henderson ©
Subs: (not used) Moore, Ntlhe, Done, Perkins, Matheson

Referee:  Mr R Joyce
Assistants: Mr M Jones and Mr G Fyvie
Fourth Official: Mr A Howson

Scunthorpe: Alnwick, Perch, Goode, Burgess, Borthwick-Jackson, Morris, Lund (Horsfield 81), Ojo ©, Colclough, Novak (Humphrys 77), Ugbo

Attendance: 3,898