Rochdale vs Fleetwood Town. EFL Trophy Northern Area First Round.
Spotland StadiumAttendance1,256.
Rochdale win 4-2 on penalties
Tuesday 4 September 2012 23:33, UK
Rochdale won a penalty shootout 4-2 to edge past Fleetwood in the first round of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy.
The game ended 2-2 after 90 minutes with the visitors coming back to cancel out Dale's 2-0 lead. The hosts took the lead midway through the first half when Bobby Grant converted a penalty following goalkeeper Scott Davies' foul on Ray Putterill. Striker Grant, who moved to Spotland from Scunthorpe on transfer deadline day, sent Davies the wrong way from the spot to hand his side the initiative. Fleetwood could count themselves unfortunate not to go in at the break on level terms, Dale goalkeeper Ben Smith denying them with saves from Shaun Beeney and David Ball while Alex Marrow sent a close-range header over the crossbar. Rochdale doubled their advantage in the 59th minute when Putterill cut in from the left flank and curled a 20-yard effort wide of Davies. But Micky Mellon's men were back in the contest with two quickfire goals from skipper Jamie McGuire. He headed home Jamie Milligan's corner before hooking a deep Milligan free-kick past Smith for the equaliser. Grant's spot-kick clinched it after Andy Mangan and McGuire saw their penalties saved.
