Satisfying win for Quakers

Darlington this afternoon delivered a hammer blow to Rochdale's promotion hopes at the scene that their own promotion hopes died last season.

Last May at Spotland Quakers lost a penalty shoot-out in the play-offs with Jason Kennedy missing the crucial kick.

But this afternoon he put Darlington on the road to victory with a stunning strike, scored in the same goal that he saw his penalty saved last season.

After the break a Rory McArdle own goal sealed a hugely satisfying Darlington win that means Rochdale are likely to settle for the play-offs for the second season running.

A Dale defeat was on the cards from the moment Kennedy put Darlington ahead in the fourth minute with another wonder strike.

In last season's play-offs he opened the scoring by curling home a stunning effort, and today the midfielder slammed the ball into the back of the net with a long-range volley.

After a sublime piece of skill from Pawel Abbott to tee up Kennedy on the edge of the area, keeper Frank Fielding could do little other than watch the strike sailed past him.

He won North-East Goal of the Season with last season's effort, and today's will be another contender.

By the time Kenendy scored Rochdale had already seen Adam Le Fondre roll the ball across Quakers' goal-line, and Abbott saw a tame shot saved after being played by Curtis Main.

Darlington were so close to adding a second goal at a Franz Burgmeier corner that Ian Miller met but headed firmly off target and then came an Rochdale opportunity teed up by former Quakers Clark Keltie.

His perfectly-weighted forward pass played in striker Chris Dagnall, also a scorer in last season's play-offs, but he blasted over from an angle.

After seven years with Darlington, Keltie played his final Quakers game in the play-offs, scoring a penalty at Spotland, before joining Rochdale in the summer.

He started this afternoon alongside fellow former Quaker Adam Rundle, while Sam Russell was on the bench.

But Darlington were again without Danny Carlton and Liam Hatch as the row over the on loan strikers' eligibility rumbles on.

After the game Darlington manager Dave Penney said that he does not expect either players to feature in Quakers' final two games of the season.

Darlington wasted an opportunity on 24 minutes but it was wasted and, unusually, Abbott was the offender.

After robbing left-back Tom Kennedy of the ball in the centre-circle, Abbott strode forward but saw his shot blocked from the edge of the area when he should played in the unmarked David Poole.

Poole gave Abbott an ear-bashing for not passing, but nobody was quite so hard on 16-year-old Main after his miss-placed back into his own half set Dale on the attack.

Keltie intercepted the ball but, fortunately, the attack came to nothing, and then Abbott, while attempting a sharp turn, also gave the ball away and this time it resulted in Dagnall wastefully firing over from 16 yards.

It was a let off for Quakers as he should have at least hit the target.

Just before the break Przemyslaw Kazimierczak pulled off a super save to keep Quakers ahead.

Darlington's Polish keeper dive low to his left to beat away Dagnall's effort from near the penalty spot after the striker had been played in by an excellent Keltie pass.

A Keltie corner just after the break almost led to a Miller own goal, the defender mis-cueing close to goal but Kazimierczak was alert enough to catch the ball.

Will Buckley almost forced the ball home at the far post following a deep Adam Rundle cross as the hosts began to control proceedings.

Soon after Alan White had been booked, Dale boss Keith Hill switched to 4-3-3 and sent on target man Lee Thorpe to give Darlington's defence an aerial threat to deal with.

But it was Quakers who scored the second goal of the game, and this one was every bit as scrappy as the first had been spectacular.

Dale had been on top during the first 20 minutes of the second period, but from Burgmeier's corner came a Rory McArdle own goal.

As the ball ricocheted off the post following an Abbott header, McArdle was caught standing flat-footed and facing goal. The ball bounced off his knee and into the net.

The goal killed off Rochdale's threat, the match turning into a comfortable afternoon for Penney's side, although Kazimierczak did well to to maintain the two two-goal lead.

The keeper came off his line to punch away McArdle's flicked header at a free-kick. Dead-ball situations became the hosts' only likely route to goal as Darlington stifled the promotion-chasing side.

Quakers conceded a free-kick with ten minutes to play after Ricky Ravenhill earned a harsh booking for fouling former team-mate Keltie.

Keltie responded to jeers from the nearby Darlington fans with a gesture that escaped the attention of referee Andy D'Urso.

The free-kick came to nothing, Thorpe heading the delivery well wide, and the rest of game was played out with Darlington rarely threatened aside from Rundle shooting wildly off target.

Seconds after named man of the match by the Dale representatives, the winger blasted high over the bar, much to the delighted of the visiting fans.

It was about the final action of a satisfying win for Darlington who clearly enjoyed defeating the side who beat them in the play-offs almost a year ago.

Next up for Quakers is Brentford who can win promotion at The Northern Echo Darlington Arena next Saturday. The following weekend Darlington finish the season at Chester City who now appear destined for relegation.

Goals: Kennedy (4mins, 0-1), McArdle og (66, 0-2)

Bookings: Keltie (36mins, foul); White (57, foul), Valentine (77, foul), Ravenhill (80, foul)

Referee: Andy D'Urso (Essex) Attendance: 3,789

Rochdale (4-4-2): Fielding; Ramsden, Stanton, McArdle, Kennedy; Buckley (Thorpe 60), Keltie, Toner, Rundle; Dagnall, Le Fondre. Subs (not used): Russell, M Jones, Madine, Newey

Darlington (4-4-2): Kazimierczak; Purdie, White, Miller, Valentine; Poole, Ravenhill, Kennedy, Burgmeier; Abbott, Main (Hulbert 89). Subs (not used): Pocklington, Fortune, Griffin, Groves