Rochdale score injury time equalizer, earn FA Cup replay with Tottenham
By Gary Pearson
The big dawgs – Dele Alli and Harry Kane – came on late in the second half to turn the tide in Rochdale, with Harry Kane depositing an 88th minute penalty to score what looked like the winner.
But then the unthinkable happened late in stoppage time, as Steven Davies bagged the equalizer to secure the League One side’s dream FA Cup replay at Wembley.
Nothing came easy for Spurs in the 2-2 draw, the away side struggling to test Josh Lillis’ goal for large swathes of the fifth round match.
Alli was felled in the area and the referee immediately pointed to the spot but Tottenham’s late defensive breakdown offered Rochdale hope.
Second half
Spurs started to control the second half, eventually wearing down a fatigued Rochdale side.
Lucas Moura showed the quality Spurs shelled out £25 million for in the 60th minute, when he calmly deposited his first goal on his full début. Moussa Sissoko, after receiving a ball from Fernando Llorente, made an early, smart pass to Moura, whose blistering pace created space for the goal.
A chance fell for Wanyama in the 72nd minute from a Kieran Trippier corner. The Kenyan couldn’t adjust his body position in time, the ball deflecting off his knee and harmlessly over the bar from close range.
Matt Done headed off the line in the 83rd minute, foiling Erik Lamela’s chance to score the winner. Dele Alli’s deft back heel led to the Lamela chance, but Done’s commitment kept the score level at one.
First half
The first half performance in Rochdale was a slightly improvement from their first 45 in Newport a few weeks ago, that is until Ian Henderson struck in injury time. Winks was caught red-handed in his own third and Rochdale punished the away side. Henderson was played through and beat Michel Vorm with a clinical finish, his sixth in the FA Cup and 15th overall.
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Moura, in his first start, was explosive and direct with his first foray into the opposing half. Son Heung-Min was dangerous on a number of attacks but the South Korean wasn’t as sharp as we’ve become accustomed to, his final touch letting him down.
He is seven games without a goal, the barren spell tied for his longest of the campaign,.
Victor Wanyama dwelled on the ball earlier in the half and coughed up possession, leading to Rochdale’s first. chance. Henderson swivelled well and fizzed a shot into Vorm’s grateful hands. But the warning signs were on display for Spurs.
Ryan Delaney threw himself at Son’s attempt on goal in the 23rd, blocking the hot shot expertly with his chest.
Lillis showed his agility in the 26th, getting down well to save Son’s left footed drive. Son then collected the rebound, found Sissoko who relayed it to Llorente. The snake-bitten Spaniard shimmied his way into a great scoring position only to lash wide his shot.
Moura then got in on the act after a teasing ball across the face of goal by Kieran Trippier eventually fell to the Brazilian. He turned and drove his effort over the bar.
Another opportunity fell to Henderson, Rochdale’s top scorer and captain, but he was unable to control his wild effort. Tottenham’s fringe squad, when played without any members of the first team, simply isn’t collectively strong enough to control proceedings, even against supposed minnows like Rochdale.
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Tottenham’s top players were again responsible for swaying the momentum in Spurs’ direction. However, the League One side had no intentions of going quietly into the Rochdale night and were full value for securing a Wembley replay.
Mauricio Pochettino will be incandescent with his team’s first-half effort as it seems Tottenham learned little from their visit to Newport a few weeks ago.