Hall the hero for Rushden

PAUL HALL'S goal with fourteen minutes remaining gave Rushden & Diamonds a dramatic 2-1 second leg victory over Rochdale in their Division Three promotion play-off tie, giving Brian Talbot's side a 4-3 aggregate win and a spot in next Monday's play-off final at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

After a 2-2 first leg draw at Nene Park, Rushden needed to push forward and score goals, having conceded two to The Dale in Saturday's clash.

After a 0-0 first half at Spotland, Rochdale went in front when Rushden's Mark Peters put the ball into his own goal five minutes after the hour mark, to give the home side a 1-0 lead, 3-2 on aggregate.

With last season's Conference champions needing two goals to take back the tie, Jamaican international striker Onandi Lowe scored a minute after going behind to level things on the night and on aggregate.

Then with less than a quarter of an hour remaining, Hall scored the winner to give the away side what was at one point, an improbable victory, and put Rushden within a win of their second-straight promotion season.

Click below for match stats:

Division Three play-off semi-final, second leg

Rochdale 1-2 Rushden & Diamonds
(aggregate: 3-4)