Late strike denies Cobblers victory as Rochdale claim share of the spoils

Harry Smith's third goal in two games was so nearly enough for what would have been a hard-fought away victory but Humphrys smashed into the top corner with just five minutes to play.

Dale played plenty of pretty football in the first-half but they lacked a cutting edge in the final third and Town worked hard to keep them at bay.

The visitors didn't threaten too many times themselves but looked a handful when they did get forward and again Smith was the difference at half-time thanks to his bullet header on 19 minutes.

Town defended doggedly in the second-half and for all Dale's dominance, it took a moment of magic from Humphrys in the final stages to deny the visitors and leave the spoils shared.

Michael Harriman replaced Caleb Chukwuemeka in the only change from the team that won at Burton Albion on Saturday.

Unlike the weekend though, Town's defence were put under early pressure and had to weather a series of dangerous crosses, with Alex Newby seeing a shot blocked for the home side.

But the visitors withstood Dale's strong start and came into the game themselves. Smith had his own effort blocked, as did Sam Hoskins, before a flowing Town move ended with Smith so nearly heading home at the back post.

Smith was clearly a man playing with confidence and it came as no surprise when he was the man to give Town the lead after 19 minutes.

Mark Marshall delivered the corner and there was Smith to bullet a header past Jay Lynch.

Dale reacted positively to that setback and threatened a swift response with Cian Bolger making a vital defensive intervention and then Jimmy Keohane shooting over the crossbar.

The home side struggled to convert possession into clear chances and they didn't really threaten Jonathan Mitchell's goal again until first-half stoppage-time when Stephen Humphrys' low shot was held by Town's goalkeeper.

The pattern of the game remained the same in the second-half and again it was a question of whether or not Town would buckle under Dale's increasing pressure.

Ollie Rathbone's shot deflected a whisker wide and Newby was unmarked at the back post but was unable to get the ball under control as Rochdale struggled to carve out anything clear-cut.

For all the home side's pressure, it looked like Town would cling until they were pegged back with five minutes to go.

Sowerby conceded an ill-advised foul on the edge of the box and it proved an extremely costly mistake when Humphrys smashed the subsequent free-kick into the top corner.

Dale looked the only winners in the time that remained and Mitchell was called upon to make a big save, although Smith so nearly grabbed a winner in stoppage-time but there was not enough power on his header to reach the net and the spoils were shared.

MATCH FACTS

Rochdale: Lynch, Bola (McLaughlin 45), O'Connell (c), Morley (Baah 70), Humphrys, Newby, Beesley, Keohane, Rathbone, Roberts, Lund

Subs not used: Chalton, McNulty, Dooley, Done, Ryan

Cobblers: Mitchell, Bolger (c), Horsfall, Sheehan, Harriman, Marshall, McWilliams (Lines 67), Sowerby, Hoskins, Holmes (Missilou 67), Smith

Subs not used: Arnold, Adams, Ashley-Seal, Chukwuemeka, Rose

Referee: Andy Haines