Promotion-chasing Mansfield held at home by bottom club Rochdale

Posted Tuesday, April 11, 2023 by PA

Sky Bet League Two’s bottom club Rochdale earned another precious point in their bid to stay in the EFL as they defended magnificently to draw 1-1 at promotion-chasing Mansfield.

Hiram Boateng’s second Easter goal gave the Stags the perfect start on six minutes after he found Lucas Akins in the box and then ran onto Akins’ superb backheel return to crash home a 12-yard finish.

Mansfield dominated, but Dale grew in confidence and were level on 43 minutes when Burnley loanee Owen Dodgson played a one-two on the left and drilled a crisp finish across goalkeeper Christy Pym and inside the far post for his first senior goal.

In stoppage time, Richard O’Donnell denied Stephen Quinn from close range as he got on the end of a James Gale cross.

Davis Keillor-Dunn brought a magnificent save out of O’Donnell on 55 minutes, with the Rochdale goalkeeper diving full length to his right to get a fingertip to the effort, and three minutes later, he superbly tipped over a Kieran Wallace drive before a double save on 66 minutes to keep out shots by Boateng and Keillor-Dunn.

Under intense pressure, Dale almost stole it on the break on 84 minutes but D’Mani Mellor’s dipping finish came back off the bar.