Narrow Win For Rochdale

Michael Symes chose Saturday as the day he would get his first goals for Rochdale and that cost Oldham the chance of picking up some away points.

As for Dale, they now have a good chance of escaping the drop after they moved off the bottom of the table with these three valuable points.

Striker Symes, on loan from Bournemouth, had failed to score in his first six outings with Rochdale, but he was off the mark as early as the third minute of this game as he fired in a low drive from the edge of the penalty area.

But on 32 minutes, Latics had got level with a spectacular goal from Shefki Kuqi who volleyed the ball over the head of the Dale keeper and into the net.

Andrew Tutte had an effort stopped by Cisak which lead to a corner for the home side, from that Symes swept home his second.

Symes increased Rochdale and his own tally to three from the penalty spot in the 70th minute after James Tarkowski had brought him down in the area.

Reuben Reid reduced the arrears with a 74th minute but there was to be no perfect ending for Latics.