Rochdale 2-2 Swindon: Match Report

30 April 2016 17:34

Rochdale held by nine-man Swindon

Swindon held on for a 2-2 draw at Rochdale despite finishing the game with nine men.

Louis Thompson and Brandon Ottewill both saw red in the second half as the visitors struggled to cope with relentless pressure from the home side.

The Robins had surged into a two-goal lead in the first half. They caught Rochdale sleeping just two minutes in with Ottewill advancing all too easily to the edge of the area before sliding a pass into the area for Jon Obika to stroke a neat finish past Josh Lillis.

Debutant goalkeeper Will Henry saved Ian Henderson's penalty after the Dale man was brought down by Nathan Thompson and then kept out a point-blank effort from Joe Bunney. And when Nathan Thompson headed home Michael Doughty's free-kick in first-half stoppage time, the visitors were well and truly in the box seat.

Rochdale pulled one back before the interval though with a stunning 25-yard strike from Jamie Allen.

Thompson was dismissed for a second bookable offence in the 59th minute and Dale's breakthrough came nine minutes later when Allen's cross was headed in off the post by Bunney.

Swindon's Nicky Ajose brushed the post with a free-kick and minutes later fired an angled drive across the face of goal and wide.

Ottewill was sent off in the 88th minute after lashing out at Grant Holt when the Rochdale substitute attempted to lift him from the ground following an innocuous collision but the nine men held on.


Source: PA