Rochdale make the relatively short trip to South Yorkshire from over the Pennines this week as Rovers look to return to winning ways in the Capital One Cup.
Paul Dickov will be keen to get his first competitive victory as manager against the League Two side to round off a busy first week of the season.
It will be the 103rd meeting between Rovers and ‘Dale but only the third time the clubs have met in the League Cup. The last meeting between the sides was in the same competition at the same stage almost seven years ago.
Rovers went into the game on the back of a defeat at Swansea City just three days earlier and were keen to continue their early home form which had seen them go unbeaten in the two games played at Belle Vue prior to the visit of Steve Parkin’s men.
Despite Mark McCammon forcing Matt Gilks into a good save from an early corner, it was Rochdale who were the better side in the first half. Adam Rundle caught the eye as just one of a number of Dale players who took the game to the home side.
Former Rovers midfielder John Doolan struck a low shot which appeared to be arrowing into the goal but for the outstretched hand of Alan Blayney tipped it round the post.
Rundle was to net the first goal of the game on the stroke of half time in somewhat fortuitous fashion, the midfielder curled in a corner that eluded everyone and it went into the goal. Blayney appealed to the officials that he had been obstructed but the calls fell on deaf ears.
After the break James Coppinger replaced Jason Price and the midfielder was to provide a perfect ball in for McCammon to equalise, the introduction of Coppinger proved to be a masterstroke moments later as he played a lovely one two with Paul Green before smashing home to put Rovers in the lead for the first time in the tie.
Dale just couldn’t cope with the substitute and he was to set up McCammon for what ultimately would be the winning goal after 65 minutes, finding the striker inside the box and he finished with aplomb.
But before the home side could celebrate Rochdale were to pull a goal back as Blayney didn’t cover himself in glory for the second time in the game. The goalkeeper had a clearance charged down and it gifted an empty goal to Doolan who couldn’t miss.
It left a nervy final ten minutes or so for Rovers who were hanging on after looking dominant for the majority of the second half, but Blayney did make amends with a fine stop to deny Dale substitute Clive Moyo-Madise after the pacy frontman had wriggled his way into the box and a certain equaliser.
Rovers went on to defeat Derby County at Belle Vue on penalties in round two but were to succumb to spot kick agony in round three to eventual semi finalists Wycombe Wanderers at Adams Park.
Tickets for the game are still available and are priced at just £10 for Adults, £5 for Concessions and just £1 for U12’s, for more details click HERE.
Tickets can be purchased from the Keepmoat Stadium Ticket Office, by calling 01302 762576 or online.