Dale power past Grecians

Rochdale kept pace with fellow League Two front-runners Oxford and Chesterfield with a 3-1 victory against Exeter at Spotland.

Neither goalkeeper was tested in the opening half-hour but Rochdale started to make inroads in the final 15 minutes of the first half. Ian Henderson stood up a cross to the back post and Graham Cummins got above Danny Coles only to see his downward header saved by Artur Krysiak. The breakthrough came in the 39th minute, though, as Scott Hogan's weaving run towards the Grecians' penalty area was ended by Pat Baldwin, who brought the Rochdale front-man crashing to the ground just outside the penalty area. Michael Rose curled the free-kick round the Exeter wall and into the top left-hand corner of Krysiak's net. However, Exeter were level within seconds of the re-start when a shot from Arron Davies was deflected into the path of John O'Flynn. His square pass was miscontrolled by Sam Parkin but collected by Alan Gow, who forced the ball past Josh Lillis from eight yards. The home side rallied, though, and deservedly regained the lead on 65 minutes when Cummins met Matt Lund's inswinging cross with a glancing header into the bottom corner of Krysiak's net. Andrew Tutte wrapped up the result in the 87th minute with an exquisite finish from the edge of the area, collecting Cummins' pass and curling a shot wide of Krysiak.