Football: Rochdale 2 - 0 MK Dons

Rochdale moved up to 11th in Sky Bet League One with a 2-0 win over MK Dons; their third straight win. Callum Camps’ thunderous low volley inside three minutes beat Lee Nicholl’s in the Dons’ goal to open the scoring. Done and MJ Williams went close for Brian Barry-Murphy’s men but a second goal eluded them until Henderson headed in his 9th of the season on the hour mark to seal the win.

Unchanged from Saturday, Dale took the lead after just two and a half minutes with a superb training ground routine. Aaron Morley’s deep corner from the left was perfect for Camps who slammed his volley into the bottom right hand corner, possibly via a deflection off Done.

MK Dons, who came into the game on the back of a run of one draw and five defeats in their last six league games couldn’t live with Dale’s pacey forward line and when Done was played in by Williams; the striker blazed over the bar with just the keeper to beat.

The visitors weren’t without chances of their own although Jay Lynch in the Rochdale goal was rarely troubled. Conor McGrandles’ pull back from the right of the goal was perfect for Jordan Bowery; the former Norwich man sweeping his shot wide of the near post.

Rhys Norrington-Davies went close with two attempts from corners. Both flag kicks were played short to Camps with the full back seeing his shots flash wide.

The closest Paul Tisdale’s Dons came to troubling the score-sheet came just short of the half hour mark. Dean Lewington’s left wing cross to Bowery saw the striker’s cushioned volley beat Lynch but not O’Connell who cleared off the line.

MJ Williams crashed a shot off the inside of the post as Dale looked to extend their lead whilst Callum Brittain shot over the bar when a mistake by O’Connell allowed the midfielder a sight of goal.

The visitors made a change at the break with Ben Reeves coming on for the ineffective Bowery but the change didn’t alter the flow of the game as Dale still looked the better side. Brittain slicing a shot into the side netting early in the second half was the closest MK came to levelling before the home side stepped up a gear.

Jimmy Keohane forced Nicholl’s into tipping a shot over the bar before Henderson doubled the lead from the corner. Morley’s delivery was headed in by a towering Henderson for his 9th goal of the season.

Brian Barry-Murphy brought on Fabio Tavares but the youngster couldn’t repeat his efforts of Saturday with the youngster shooting wide when given a chance late on.

 

Rochdale: Lynch, Keohane, O’Connell, McShane, Norrington-Davies, MJ Williams (Wilbraham 76), Morley, Done (Tavares 65), Rathbone, Henderson © (Andrew 82)
Subs: (not used) Wade, Ryan, Bradley, Matheson

MK Dons: Nicholls, Williams, Cargill, Moore-Taylor, Lewington, Brittain, McGrandles, Gilbey, Kasumu (Agard 54), Bowery (Reeves 46), Dickenson (Boateng 61)
Subs: (not used) Moore, Poole, Martin, Houghton

Referee: Mr R Lewis
Assistants: Mr F Fyvie & Mr P Gooch
Fourth Official: Mr W Smith

Attendance: 2,286 (128 from MK Dons)