Rochdale 1-1 Doncaster Rovers (2004)

Rochdale 1-1 Doncaster Rovers

Nationwide Division Three

Tuesday 30th March 2004

In a season of iconic moments this was far from a stellar performance by Doncaster Rovers but there was still a dramatic conclusion on the night provided by Mark Albrighton.

Mark Albrighton wheels away in celebration (Photo: Unknown).

It was a golden era with a buzz of excitement and adrenaline rush on each and every matchday. The results achieved by Dave Penney's team (very much the unlikely lads) meant there was a distinct and growing possibility that little old Donny Rovers; dubbed as 'A Pub Team Having A Laugh!' and derided at the start of the campaign, might just achieve back-to-back promotions and grab a place in the third tier of English football.

Following a draw at Oxford United three days earlier when Chris Black made his one and only appearance, this game (before Mr Black's surprise disappearance) was the next step on the journey to eventual title glory.

The feverish enthusiasm which was sweeping across Doncaster at the time was incredible with ordinary townsfolk who hadn't before taken an interest in football, let alone DRFC, bursting with pride at the exploits of their local team. The fanbase was growing, attendances were rising, replica red and white hooped shirts were visible around town everywhere on every day of the week.

Quite simply, this team was capturing people's imagination and grabbing headlines. Having only got back in the Football League less than a year earlier, more success seemed on the horizon!

There was perhaps no better example of the tremendous numbers backing Rovers than this particular night given that it produced one of those occasions rarely seen in professional football nowadays where the away support outnumbered the home fans.

Rovers' travelling army, numbering over 2,300 and housed along the side of the pitch, were in full voice beaming out 'Rovers Til I Die!' as well as other signature chants of the era. It was phenomenal to be part of and as Neil Diamond famously sang in 'Sweet Caroline' - good times never seemed so good!

On the pitch, the month of March hadn't exactly been a vintage one with four hard-fought draws being ground out along with a midweek 1-0 success at Yeovil Town where Ricky Ravenhill's late strike kept the promotion push on track and the chasing pack at arms length.

With Rochdale struggling towards the foot of Division Three, caught up in a scrap for their own Football League status, and having not improved much since the fixture was postponed on its original date some four weeks earlier, the game was perceived as the perfect opportunity for Rovers to chalk up three points, make a statement to their rivals, and edge that little bit closer to glory.

Expectations were high but the hosts, despite being outnumbered in their own surroundings, put in a gritty but impressive underdog-like performance and made things as difficult as possible for Rovers in an effort to appease their own manager, Steve Parkin, who hadn't long since replaced the sacked Alan Buckley.

Dale's 'star' name (by Division Three standards) was a certain Neil Redfearn - once on the books at Belle Vue but by this stage in the twilight years of his career. He offered experience and guile in midfield alongside young Manchester City loanee Willo Flood who went on to have a respectable career north of the border. Gary Jones, something of a club legend for Rochdale, also figured as did Leo Bertos (an international team-mate of Rovers full-back Dave Mulligan) and Grant Holt - yes, the hard-as-nails forward who went on to be a cult-figure at Norwich City in the Premier League!

The opening 45 minutes could best be described as scrappy and the early stages of the second half not much better until the hosts made a surprise breakthrough when the evergreen Redfearn delivered a set-piece from out wide which was duly headed home by substitute Lee McEvilly.

Rovers possessed a 'Never Say Die!' spirit in this era, however, which was epitomised so many times during the course of the campaign and another dramatic moment occurred deep into injury-time. Dave Morley's desperate long punt upfield dropped kindly inside the box for Mark Albrighton who poked out a leg to prod the ball past the Dale 'keeper to spark scenes of jubilation. Brighty's shirt came off (this in the days before such a celebration was deemed worthy of a yellow card) and there were fist pumps and roars galore at having snatched another point to preserve Rovers' unbeaten run.

The programme which was used for the re-arranged game.

Mobbed by Akinfenwa as Rovers fans celebrate in the background (Photo: Unknown).