Dale boost survival hopes with dramatic win over Shrewsbury

Posted Saturday, March 31, 2018 by PA

Relegation-threatened Rochdale ran out 3-1 winners as the game against promotion-chasing Shrewsbury ended in controversy at Spotland.

The Shrews were awarded a penalty in time added on with the chance to equalise but referee Richard Clark changed his mind and awarded a corner – from which Dale’s Ian Henderson broke downfield and scored a third.

The Shrews raced into an eighth-minute lead when Nathan Thomas turned Harrison McGahey and raced clear to fire past Josh Lillis.

But the visitors’ momentum was broken when Toto Nsiala was stretchered off with a suspected fractured cheekbone following an accidental clash of heads with Stephen Humphrys.

And Dale levelled deep into the resultant 12 minutes of time added on at the end of the first half, Oliver Rathbone firing wide of Dean Henderson.

Dale took the lead in the 80th minute when Steven Davies hooked a brilliant overhead kick into the roof of the net.

Referee Clark awarded the Shrews a penalty in time added on when Jim McNulty challenged Shaun Whalley – only to change his mind and award a corner after consulting his linesman. From the resulting set-piece, and with keeper Dean Henderson having joined the attack, Ian Henderson broke away and fired into an empty net.