Rochdale romp as Plymouth lose unbeaten home record

Posted Wednesday, December 02, 2020 by PA

Rochdale ended their Sky Bet League One winless run in emphatic style with a 4-0 victory at Plymouth, who suffered their first home defeat of the season.

Dale, without a league win in five games, stunned Argyle, with Jake Beesley rounding goalkeeper Michael Cooper to fire them ahead in the third minute.

Play was delayed for 15 minutes as Beesley was stretchered off after suffering a head injury following a collision with the home keeper and a defender.

When play resumed, Plymouth striker Luke Jephcott’s close-range 21st-minute shot came back off a post before George Cooper’s follow-up was cleared off the line by defender Matty Lund.

Dale forged further ahead after 23 minutes when Argyle failed to clear their lines and Aaron Morley took full advantage to send a thumping drive from the edge of the box into the roof of the net after being teed-up by Ollie Rathbone.

Jimmy Keohane made it 3-0 in first-half stoppage time, heading home following a mix-up between keeper Cooper and central defender Scott Wootton.

Rochdale sealed an impressive victory after 72 minutes when substitute Stephen Dooley’s cross was glanced home by striker Stephen Humphrys, consigning the Greens to three league defeats in a row.