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Rochdale keep title hopes alive with late comeback after York put pressure on with win

Rochdale kept their National League title hopes alive with a late comeback after York put pressure on with their own win earlier in the day.

An extraordinary promotion battle, every week, it’s either Rochdale or York getting a late winner. Quite enthralling and nail-biting stuff.

York and Rochdale are now officially in the three-digit totals for the season. Two games to go. Separated by two points and they both meet on the final day, with the potential one of these two won’t get promoted either as we will have a title winner, and a playoff winner, and if last season was anything to go by, predictable isn’t it.

After Ollie Pearce scored in York’s 1-0 win at Tamworth, putting pressure back on Rochdale, who had quite the scare up when going one down in the 58th minute against Wealdstone.

But Ian Henderson got Dale’s leveller in the 77th minute equaliser, Rochdale had a goal disallowed in the 88th minute for offside.

Wild celebrations soon came again and this time it counted, a 90th minute winner from substitute Luke Hannant.

York’s Stuart Maynard said, per York Press: “It was an excellent performance, one of my favourites.

“Even though it wasn’t the York City we’re used to see week in, week out, I said to the group and in the pre-press [conference] that we had to roll our sleeves up.

“We had to come here and be prepared to dig deep, and compete, which I think we did.

“In the first-half I think we should have put the game to bed, we had so many clear chances in the first-half, and in the second-half we managed it so well.

“This is probably the toughest place to come in the division.

“They have beaten all of the top teams and there’s a reason, I think Rochdale won here, but other than that, there’s a reason it is so tough.

“The pitch, they play the pitch brilliantly and the slope, I’ve never seen a 3G on a slope before.

“You turn up here, there’s a slope and everything is against you.

“I think you feel under more pressure than what you actually are in the game, it’s an old school stadium and the crowd are so close to the pitch.

“Every time they get a throw-in on the halfway line, you think it’s an effort on goal, but it’s not.

“I thought that the lads’ game management was absolutely excellent.”

On York fans: “A few of the stewards said they’d never seen an away end like it, that packed, that loud.

“They got behind us all the way, and I’m loving it.

“It’s a great city, I love the city, I love the club and I think we’re one big family.

“There’s been a few bumps in the road, but the positivity from when we’ve had those bumps has been excellent.

“It’s a huge credit to the group, every time we’ve had a bump in the road they have come back and then we’ve put another run together.

“It is not easy to do it, no matter what division you are in or what level you are at, it’s not easy to lose a game of football, bounce back, play the way we want to and keep sticking to it, really believing in it.”

York moved five points clear of second-placed Rochdale with that win, with just two games left to play.

On Rochdale ahead of the later kick off: “We’ll have an eye on it, we can’t not.

“It’s a game of football so we’ll watch it, but as we keep saying, we’ve just got to keep focused on ourselves.

“If Wealdstone go there and do us a favour, brilliant, if they don’t, it doesn’t matter to us.

“We just have to make sure that on the last day of the season, we’re top of this league when the final whistle goes.

“That’s all that matters to us, and that’s what we’ve got to keep honing into the group.

“It might not be next week, but the following week we’ve got to make sure that we’re top of the league at the end of that game.”

Rochdale’s Jim McNulty said: “It was a special one for sure, adding to a catalog of special moments that have made a special season. We reached 102 points today. It’s memorable, it’s history making, yeah, I can’t give enough accolades to my team today who reversed the situation that was looking perilous at 1-0 down.

“I think honestly I can’t praise them enough for the belief they keep maintaining when others around don’t have the same belief and are ready to give up on this team that has given so much. I’m always going to fight for the team. I love them. Absolutely love them.

“And what they’ve done today is incredible and I stress it’s at a point when the belief wasn’t unified and I
don’t think that’s right. The team was on 99 points pre-game, given everything and it was probably in a moment where people are being affected by a result elsewhere that takes another team further away from us in final moments and desperation’s kicking in and fear is kicking in but please please, in this moment, like, give your support.

“This is my message to the team, this is my message to the staff, this is my message to the supporters, is this, my message to anyone, anyone linked with us please like find it within you to support this team as it just reached 102 points, past the 100 point mark, it’s incredible, and the way that they done it you know I know we mention him more so than we mention other people but 41 year old Ian Henderson coming on there and you know showing the calmness when others are giving up around.

“Ah, I feel like, you know, that was a personification of the kind of belief that we want to retain like while a fire still burns. Like I have to give this this team everything support wise because it’s earned it. It’s earned it and I’m so proud of the team today.”

See more of what he had to say in the interview below…

Here’s the social media reaction after Rochdale keep their title hopes alive with a late comeback after York put pressure on with a win earlier in the day…

@beluckyfella: Mental title race for those who don’t know. Both over 100 points now. Toe to toe all season , separated by 2 points with 2 games left. Play eachother last game of the season Rochdale are 2nd but play York at home

@Sm0ggs: It’s absolutely criminal that York or Rochdale might not go up despite both teams breaking 100 points. York have accumulated 200 points over the last 2 seasons..

@LW_Minsterman: Fair play to ya. It wasn’t very pretty, but you got the job done by hook or by crook. Looks like it will go down to the final game after all.

@alex_howarth100: ian hendo and luke hannant can have my kids

@DanHayhurst7: Can’t argue with the character of this team. Come on lads 2 more

@TheStig1997825: Ah well, it’s probably for the best that it goes down to the last day! Just put in another performance like that one please and we will play some defenders who know not to leave Ian Henderson the whole 6 yard box to itself 🤣

@mtuj1974: As a Carlisle fan I don’t really have a dog in this fight … but I’m convinced Rochdale are going to end up snatching it #rafc #ycfc

@TheDB30: I honestly hope whoever misses out on the title between York and Rochdale can do the job in the play-offs. Both deserve it and both would do well in League Two next season. That being said if we had 3 up already we’d be moaning about now boring this season has been!

@FGR_sean37: This league desperately need 2 automatic promotion spots. York and Rochdale both deserve to be playing league 2 football next season. The fact one of them could lose out in the play offs is criminal

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