Rochdale 3 Exeter City 3.

Tuesday 29 October 2002.

Beech's comeback is sweet and sour

Report: Suzanne Geldard
Photos: Peter Sheppard

Nationwide Div 3

Rochdale 3
Beech 41, Simpson 59, Griffiths 85

Exeter City.3
Flack 1, 74; Thomas 79

When you've been sidelined for most of the season with an injury, the worst thing that can happen on your return to action is pick- ing up another knock. But life proved to be a 'Beech' for Rochdale midfielder Chris Beech on Tuesday night. The former Huddersfield player, who suffered a broken foot in mid- August, was thrown into the lion's den as Dale looked to bounce back from a run of defeats. Forty-one min- utes into his comeback, the 28-year- old was concussed after being kicked in the head and played no further part in the game.

Rochdale received a free kick wide on the right for a foul on Paul Connor Paul Simpson spotted Beech unmarked at the far post and swung the ball over. Beech sent a diving header past goalkeeper Kevin Miller, but in doing so felt the full force of Neil Whitworth's boot as the right back tried to clear. Beech's efforts got Rochdale back on level terms with Exeter, who had taken the lead with just 50 seconds on the clock. But it won't be a goal that sticks in his memory. "I didn't even know I'd scored," Beech confessed after the game.

"In fact, when I got up and saw Rochdale on the seats in the stand, I thought, 'what am I here?". or thoug didn't know where I was what I was doing there! I didn't actually realise I'd been playing. I didn't know it was my first game back or anything. I had to be told every- thing."

He added: "I do remember them scoring because we'd all got psyched up for the match, and when they scored straight away it totally went against what we had in mind. Obviously it took the wind out of our sails remember the referee didn't give us a lot when we were attacking in the first half. But we had a few chances.

"Then I remember standing spare at the back post thinking 'why isn't anyone marking me?' I just put both of my hands up. The gaffer can put the ball wherever you want it but I wish he'd put it a yard further back to be honest. But it was an accident. "I was going to go back on and that's when I looked across and saw Rochdale on the seats and I suddenly thought, 'what am I doing here?' "I didn't know I was playing football." Rochdale supporters knew he had been playing football, however, as Beech made a real impression on his return to the starting line-up, espe- cially considering he hadn't gone through the usual rigmarole of having a couple of games in the reserves first. After Simpson's men had got over the initial shock of Exeter taking the lead 50 seconds after kick-off Rochdale again were unable to deal with a long ball upfield and Steve Flack sent his shot hurtling past Neil Edwards from just outside the area - they put together a string of decent attacks.

Connor and Beech saw their dipping efforts just miss the target before Simpson rattled the crossbar with his 40-yarder. Miller then spilled Clive Platt's shot as the striker looked to mark his return from suspension with a goal, but the Grecians' keeper managed to smother the ball as Connor charged in for the rebound. In between, Carl Pettefer and Reiner Moor had both shot straight at Edwards, but but Rochdale played with more confidence than they have in recent games, resulting in further chances for Connor and Beech. Matt Doughty's long range shot was always going wide, but when Platt had only the keeper to beat moments later, supporters were ready to cele brate an equaliser. But while Platt went to get the ball on his favoured right foot, the keeper had advanced far enough to be able to make a solid block. So much pressure was bound to tell, though, and when Beech was left completely unmarked for a free kick, only one place Simpson was going to put the ball.

Beech's thumping header beat Miller, but the knock he took meant he couldn't even celebrate his own goal. Call me a cynic, but I wondered if Exeter chairman Uri Geller was playing mind tricks from his seat in the stand. Concussion meant Beech had to be substituted, but Ian Bishop was more than capable of replacing him and kept momentum going right through the second half. Simpson narrowly missed the tar- get on 50 minutes with his curling free kick after Connor had been hacked down on the edge of the area just as he was about to pull the trigger. But he had better luck nine minutes later as, after a foul on Platt in a simi lar position, Simpson used Bishop and McEvilly as decoys. The wall backed off anticipating McEvilly to thunder it at goal but Simpson simply bent it into the back of the net.

Exeter hit back when, out of nothing, Moor was allowed to charge through the defence. He flicked the ball onto his right boot and cracked the sweetest of volleys which rattled the same crossbar that Simpson dis turbed in the first half. Substitute James Coppinger got the ball back into the danger zone and Flack headed into the bottom corner. And the visitors might have stolen the lead within seconds but Edwards did well to turn Cronin's long range shot round the post. Soon afterwards, Martin Thomas was the next man allowed to have free rein in Rochdale's defence. Lee Duffy cov ered well enough to be able to block Thomas' shot, but not his low-up, which he rammed home.

Another defeat would have been cruel on Rochdale, who had battled. hard and played their best football for some time. So it was just reward when Gareth Griffiths rose to head Simpson's corner five minutes fre outings.

ROCHDALE: Edwards, Evans, Griffiths, Flitcroft, Beech (Bishop 44), Doughty, Simpson, McEvilly, Duffy, Platt, Connor (Townson 79). Subs not used: Gilks, Jobson, McCourt.

EXETER CITY: Miller, Moor, Whitworth (Coppinger 66), Hiley, Pettefer, Thomas, Cronin, Walker (Roscoe 46), Flack, Buxton, Gaia (Curran 46). Subs not used: Fraser, McConnell.

BBC match summary and information 

Rochdale twice came back from a goal behind to earn their first point in four games in an entertaining draw with Exeter. The Grecians stunned the home side when they took the lead with just 50 seconds on the clock. Dale failed to deal with a long ball which fell to Steve Flack, who stabbed the the ball past goalkeeper Neil Edwards. The Spotland outfit had plenty of chances to equalise, the best when Paul Simpson's rasping drive rattled the crossbar, but they found goalkeeper Kevin Miller equal to the task. However, just before the break, Simpson's pinpoint delivery found Chris Beech at the far post and he headed home his first goal for the club. It was to be Beech's last contribution to the game as he received a blow to his head on the way to scoring and had to be substituted. Rochdale started the second half with purpose and went in front after 59 minutes with a superb long-range free-kick from the trusty boot of Simpson, who angled his effort into the top corner of the net. But Dale fans' joy was short-lived as Reiner Moor's left-foot volley levelled the contest after 75 minutes. The visitors regained the lead when Martin Thomas broke through a static defence and tucked the ball past Edwards four minutes later. With the game heading for an Exeter win, Rochdale captain Gareth Griffiths' fine header secured a point for the home side with just five minutes remaining.

Rochdale: Edwards, Duffy, Evans, Griffiths, Doughty, Flitcroft, Beech, Simpson, McEvilly, Platt, Connor. Subs: Gilks, Bishop, McCourt, Townson, Jobson.

Exeter: Miller, Hiley, Whitworth, Gaia, Buxton, Pettefer, Cronin, Walker, Thomas, Moor, Flack. Subs: Fraser, McConnell, Roscoe, Curran, Coppinger.

Referee: C Webster (Tyne & Wear).

Attendance  1944