Jim Bentley bemoans Rochdale’s finishing after draw at Crewe

Posted Sunday, February 26, 2023 by PA

Jim Bentley bemoaned Rochdale’s finishing as chances went begging at Crewe before the League Two bottom club salvaged a point through Jimmy Keohane’s late strike.

Keohane prodded in the rebound after his header came back off the post after 80 minutes to cancel out Rio Adebisi’s headed finish for the Alex 10 minutes earlier.

Then Connor O’Riordan’s 86th-minute dismissal for picking up a second yellow card – for a late challenge on Owen Dodgson -saw Dale push for a winner.

And they went close to getting it with substitute Tahvon Campbell thwarted by Rod McDonald with the goal gaping.

Despite the positive finish for Bentley’s side, they are now without a win in nine games.

He said: “We have got to keep going and we’ve got hope and belief we can get out of trouble.

“We didn’t get the rub of the green today, although we should score more goals.

“The ball hits their bar after 30 seconds and it was a bit of a melee and their keeper got it clear. We were on top in the first half, but we could have done better with Crewe’s goal as it was a free header for a 5ft 10in wing back.

“We played some good stuff and got the ball into good areas, but we don’t do enough at the other end. But there’s lot of games coming up that are not as tough as those against the opposition we’ve played recently when we’ve come up just short.

“I don’t like the negative criticism aimed towards me, but we are trying our best to win games of football.”

Crewe were indebted to on-loan goalkeeper James Beadle, who made a sequence of saves in the opening minutes.

Beadle pushed Dodgson’s piledriver onto the crossbar and saved Ian Henderson’s rebound effort. The 18-year-old also turned around a low shot from Danny Lloyd, which was bound for the bottom corner.

Crewe goalscorer Adebisi should have made more of a Joel Tabiner cross in the first half, but headed wide at the back stick. But Adebisi made amends when thumped a header from Callum Ainley’s cross into the corner.

But the lead was short-lived with Keohane pouncing after Toby Mullarkey swung over a cross.

Crewe boss Lee Bell said: “I’m frustrated as in the second half it looked as there was only one team was going to win that match.

“Rochdale put us under pressure in the opening minutes and the conditions played a part in that. But the boys picked up the messages we gave them at half-time and they showed great endeavour in the second half.

“There’s work to be done on our decision making, but I couldn’t fault the players. I was disappointed with their goal as there were too many mistakes leading up to it.

“For the sending off, we’d spoken to Connor at half-time because he’d been booked and he will have to learn from that.”