League One Week 40 Review: Rochdale denied by last gasp equaliser.

Walsall
who sits one place above the relegation spot took the lead after twenty-five
minutes when Emmanuel Ledesma took range from twenty=five yards out and scored
a brilliant goal which flew past David Lucas in the Rochdale goal. Thirteen
minutes later, Walsall doubled their lead with a free kick from the right hand
side that was curled in by Emmanuel Ledesma and headed into his own net by Joe
Widdowson.

Walsall
had the chance to kill the game off when a lovely run by the pivotal Emmanuel
Ledesma sprayed the ball to the right where Florent Cuvelier had the chance to
add a third but he could shoot wide where it would have been easy to score.
With twenty five minutes remaining Rochdale pulled one back and gave them a
chance when Jean Louis Akpa Akpro scored from close range. Gary Jones went
close to equalises but his volley whistled over the cross bar from the edge of
the D. With eight minutes remaining Rochdale were handed a life line when Jason
Kennedy was brought down in the area and Rochdale were awarded a spot kick.
Michael Symes kept his nerve and calmly slotted the penalty away. But in
stoppage time Rochdale edged ahead when a Jason Kennedy corner was only headed
to Jean Louis Akpa Akpro who lashed the ball home. But that was short lived as
straight from the kick off a long ball was played up field and Andy Butler
headed powerfully home from the edge of the area which looped over David Lucas
to give a share of the spoils.

That
was harsh on Rochdale who battled so hard to come from 2-0 down and then to
take the lead in stoppage time only to have it snatched away, that would have
felt like a defeat. With that result Rochdale sit joint twenty second in the
league with Exeter and lay six points behind Wycombe who are occupy the last relegation
spot. For Walsall it could have been much worse for the club but a point as
they snatched a point from the jaws from defeat. Walsall now sits two points
above the drop zone. The relegation battle will be interesting to watch with
six games to go now in the season.

 

Here
are the rest of Week 40 League One results:

Sheffield
Wednesday 2-0 Preston (Lunchtime Kick off)

Rest
were 3pm Kick offs on Saturday

Bournemouth
0-0 Yeovil

Bury
2-0 Tranmere

Carlisle
2-1 Huddersfield

Charlton
2-0 Leyton Orient

Chesterfield
1-4 Scunthorpe

Exeter
1-1 Colchester

Hartlepool
0-1 Sheffield Untied

MK
Dons 1-2 Brentford

Notts
County 1-0 Oldham

Stevenage
1-1 Wycombe