Match Report

Rochdale returned to winning ways and kept up their hopes of automatic promotion with a victory far more comfortable than the narrow scoreline would suggest.

Apart from one brief flurry mid-table Port Vale rarely threatened, although they did hit the woodwork early in the game following a set-piece.

After their 4-0 defeat at Bournemouth last weekend, Dale played with an amazing level of confidence and in the early stages threatened to over-run their visitors, with Chris Dagnall in particular a constant thorn in the side of his markers.

Against the run of play though Vale were unlucky not to take the lead when following a Paul Marshall corner, central defender John McCombe thudded a header against the crossbar.

Dale were actually down to ten men when they opened the scoring following an injury to teenage winger Kallum Higginbotham.

After the player had received treatment a quick throw-in on the right caught the visiting defenders sleeping and Dagnall beat his way to the by-line, before delivering a perfect cross for youngster Will Buckley to turn home from close range for his 11th goal of the season.

In the second half the visitors enjoyed more possession without really threatening and in the final moments Dagnall might have capped a man of the match performance with a quick fire hat-trick.

Within the space of 90 seconds he was twice brilliantly denied by keeper Chris Martin as well as being millimetres away from turning in a Joe Thompson cross.

Corners

Fouls

Goal attempts

Shots off target

Offsides