Rochdale 0 Barnsley 1: Reds triumph in spite of late penalty lapse

It was the first win in six games for the Reds, who got one over on former manager Keith Hill at Spotland, and even missed a penalty in the final seconds.

The visitors moved out of the drop zone while Rochdale dropped out of the play-off positions.

Rochdale, flying high under ex-Reds boss Hill, had drafted in Joe Rafferty, Oliver Lancashire and Matty Lund despite an excellent win at Leyton Orient last weekend.

The Reds had led at the interval thanks to Peter Ramage’s 10th-minute goal, powering home a header in what was his second ‘debut’ for the club following his loan switch from Crystal Palace.

The visitors created the first chance of the second period, with Keith Treacy sliding a low shot inches wide direct from Conor Hourihane’s corner-kick.

There was then a scare for the Reds as Matty Done’s well-struck shot was blocked on the line by captain Martin Cranie.

The hosts were beginning to run out of steam, and Sam Winnall blew a terrific chance to extend the Reds’ advantage, totally miscuing an attempted shot fromDevante Cole’s perfectly-weighted cross. Cole was then thwarted by the legs of Dale goalkeeper Conrad Logan.

Hourihane saw a spot-kick saved by Logan in stoppage-time after Cole had been felled in the box, but it did not matter.

Rochdale: Conrad Logan, Rafferty (Hery 72), Lancashire, O’Connell, Tanser, Lund (Andrew 55), Allen, Dawson, Vincenti (Bunney 68), Done, Henderson. Unused substitutes: Bennett, Diba Musangu, Rose, Kennedy.

Barnsley: Turnbull, Bree, Cranie, Ramage, Nyatanga, Bailey, Berry, Treacy (Brown 60), Hourihane, Winnall (Hemmings 80), Cole. Unused substitutes: Williams, Dudgeon, Davies, Digby, Lita.

Referee: K Wright (Cambridgeshire).

Man of the match: Peter Ramage.