Rochdale 3 - 0 Preston North End

Photo: Alpha Photography

Matt Done

Rochdale ended Preston’s eight game winning run with a convincing victory over their Lancashire rivals. Jack O’Connell headed his second goal in two games with Ian Henderson doubling Dale’s lead four minutes later. Matt Done netted his ninth of the campaign to seal the win. Rochdale keeper Conrad Logan saved a late Joe Garner penalty after he was tripped in the box.

Keith Hill named an unchanged side from last weekend’s win at Yeovil but had to make a late change when Jamie Allen was injured in the warm up; Bastien Hery replaced him in the starting line-up.

Preston arrived at Spotland in confident mood after winning their last eight games and sitting in second place in the table but it was to be Dale’s day.

Visiting striker Joe Garner has earned many plaudits in recent weeks, and his hat-trick last week at Fleetwood after Preston found themselves 2-0 certainly alerted many to his talents, but he was kept very quiet by the Dale defence. The closest the striker came in the first half was when his powerful header hit the top of the cross bar.

Although Preston were seeing plenty of the ball, Dale held them at arms length and, slightly against the run of play, Jack O’Connell headed Dale in front. Bastien Hery was fouled just inside the Dale half with Scott Tanser launching the resultant free kick deep towards goal where O’Connell sneaked beyond the defence to head home from a very acute angle.

The almost 3,000 travelling Preston fans were soon seeing a horror the day after Halloween when their side went 2-0 down. Rhys Bennett’s positive run and cross found Henderson unmarked seven yards out and the skipper made no mistake for his eighth of the season.

Preston took the game to Dale in the second half but they couldn’t break down a stubborn defence.

Garner saw his snap shot pushed around the post by Logan on a rare occasion Preston breached the Dale back line.

Just after the hour mark and Rochdale made the points safe. A long pass from Logan wasn’t dealt with by former Dale defender Scott Wiseman with Done nipping in to take the ball. Done’s initial touch was heavy but as visiting keeper Jamie Jones slid out he spilled the ball with Done the lucky recipient and he had the easiest of tasks to slot the ball into the empty net.

With 14 minutes left of the game, Preston were given a lifeline when Garner went down in the area after a challenge by Matt Lund. Conrad Logan guessed the correct way to brilliantly deny Garner; the third penalty Logan has faced since his loan move to Spotland and his third save.

Its a magnificent result for Rochdale against a team that Dale boss Keith Hill tips to be promoted come May.

With a trip to League Two Northampton next week in the FA Cup, the Dale players will certainly be high in confidence.

Attendance: 6,102

Rochdale: Logan, Rose, Eastham, O’Connell, Bennett (Lancashire 81 (Andrew 87), Tanser, Dawson, Hery (Rafferty 81), Lund, Henderson (c), Done
Subs: (not used) Diba, Noble Lazarus, Camps,

Preston: Jones, Wiseman, Clarke, Huntingdon, Buchanan, Kilkenny (King 84), Welsh (c)(Browne 65), Humphreys, Gallagher, Robinson (Davies 53), Garner
Subs: (not used) Laird, Reid, Stuckmann, Brownhill

Referee: Mr P Tierney
Assistant Referees: Mr B Gordon & Mr W Grunnill
Fourth Official: Mr T Kirk