MATCH REPORT: Rochdale 1-2 Blackpool

Nathan Delfouneso and Kelvin Mellor netted in the second half of a rain-affected match at Spotland as the Seasiders won for just the first time in nine attempts.

The Seasiders had chances to extend their lead in the final stages but Rochdale rarely threatened, allowing Gary Bowyer’s men to climb up to 13th in the League One table.

Dale did manage to get one back in injury time through Mark Kitching, but the Seasiders managed to hold on for a priceless three points on away turf.

The victory, Pool’s first since the 1-0 win against Peterborough United in November, was just their second their last 13 outings.

Gary Bowyer caused something of a surprise in the lead-up to the game by making wholesale changes to his side from the team that drew 2-2 at Plymouth Argyle the previous Saturday.

The biggest shock came in the form of Ben Williams being dropped from the squad altogether, with Christoffer Mafoumbi getting his chance in goal to start for the first time in the league for the Seasiders.

Ollie Turton returned from injury to start at left-back, while Jimmy Ryan, Callum Cooke, Viv Solomon-Otabor and Nathan Delfouneso were all handed starts as part of six changes in total.

The Seasiders had to do some defending in the early stages of the game as the home side came out of the blocks firing.

Mafoumbi was brought straight into action as early as the third minute when he somewhat unconvincingly palmed away Callum Camps’ dipping free-kick from as far out as 35 yards.

The Rochdale fans wrongly began to celebrate when Calvin Andrews’ back-post header found the net, only for those cheers to quickly turn to silence when they realised it only hit the side-netting of Mafoumbi’s goal.

Blackpool’s first chance of sorts fell to Nathan Delfouneso, who headed wide from Jimmy Ryan’s free kick although the goalkeeper never seriously looked troubled.

Gary Bowyer’s men came close to an opener midway through the first half when Rochdale ‘keeper Josh Lillis made a hash of Callum Cooke’s cross, spilling into the six-yard box but no Blackpool player was able to take advantage.

Lillis was almost caught out for a second time when he failed to claim Jimmy Ryan’s corner kick, but again the hosts managed to escape without conceding.

The torrential rain turned the Spotland pitch into something of a quagmire, ruining the game as a spectacle with both sides struggling to string two or three passes together.

Instead, the general play soon turned into a long-ball affair where opportunities only came from set pieces.

But Blackpool defended their box well with Rochdale only a threat from long, hopeful balls into the box, and managed to see off a spell of pressure from the hosts before going into the half-time interval level.

Colin Daniel almost broke the deadlock within 50 seconds of the second half as he tried his luck from all of 25 yards out, but his thunderous strike bounced off the turf and skimmed just wide of the far post with Lillis well beaten.

A second chance fell to Daniel after Rochdale failed to clear their lines from a free-kick, but the winger could only curl over on his weak foot.

Viv Solomon-Otabor managed to engineer some space for himself down the left-hand side before turning his marker inside out, but could only manage to shoot straight at Lillis.

But a minute later, there was nothing Lillis could do to stop Blackpool from taking the lead.

It came after the ball fell to Delfouneso inside the box, and the forward showed great composure to take a couple of touches with the goal at his mercy, taking it past a defender as well as the ‘keeper before slotting home into an empty net.

It was a well-taken finish for what was only his second goal of the season for the Seasiders.

Jimmy Ryan, who had been booked, was substituted for Jay Spearing midway through the second period and the former Liverpool midfielder made an instant impact.

The skipper delivered a pinpoint corner for Kelvin Mellor, whose downward header skipped off the turf and into the roof of the Rochdale net to make it 2-0.

Blackpool created a priceless chance to make sure of the three points when they had a three-against-one on the break, but Solomon-Otabor wasted the opportunity by trying to be too clever and cutting back onto his stronger foot - allowing a defender to recover and clear.

Lillis produced a strong stop to save from Daniel’s powerful header, before saving from Solomon-Otabor’s rebound while still recovering on the ground.

Rochdale rallied in the last five minutes in a desperate attempt to get something of the game and won a flurry of corners, but Blackpool defended sternly and kept them out.

Sean Longstaff sent in an ambitious effort from range as Blackpool continued to steam forward in search of more goals, but his effort - which took a slight deflection - was comfortably claimed by Lillis in the Rochdale goal.

The home side had a huge chance to get a goal back in the first of five minutes to be added on at the end of the game as the ball fell to Brad Inman at the back post, but the substitute fired well over when well placed in front of goal.

Rochdale were given a lifeline in the first minute of injury time as Mark Kitching capitalised on some hesitant defending to pull one back.

Callum Camps had a chance to score what would have been an unlikely equaliser when he lined up a free kick from just outside the box, but it was deflected out for a corner which Blackpool managed to deal with - eventually holding on for a much-needed three points.

Rochdale: Lillis, Ntlhe, McGahey (Thompson), Camps, Rathbone (Inman), Done, Cannon, Daniels, Kitching, Henderson, Andrew (Williams)

Subs not used: McNulty, Keane, Moore, Adshead

Blackpool: Mafoumbi, Mellor, Tilt, Robertson, Turton (Anderton), Ryan (Spearing), Cooke (Philliskirk), Longstaff, Daniel, Solomon-Otabor, Delfouneso

Subs not used: Allsop, Aimson, Spearing, Quigley, Roache

Referee: Anthony Backhouse

Attendance: 3,165