The Latics visited Spotland in the long anticipated re-arranged game with Rochdale and came away with a hard-earned draw. It was the first meeting of the two teams in a competitive match since way back in 1974.
Manager Paul Dickov had to watch while his team threw away their second consecutive lead to settle for a share of the spoils. He said after the match, "I thought we were excellent in the first half when we were on top and played ever so well. We played some good football, put some good balls into the box and our front four were a threat. When you are on top, that is when you have to score your goals because there will be times in a game when the opposition put you under pressure.”
“You have to give credit to Rochdale. They came out and changed the game in the second half playing percentage football and got the ball forward as quick as they could. It was very hard to play against, but we defended well for 99.9 per cent of the game, switched off once when we were on top and they scored their goal. I suppose a point is a fair result when you look at the game as a whole."
The visitors took the leaf in the 16th. minute through on-loan Arsenal player Cedric Evina who scored from a back heel from Oumare Tounkara . It was Evina's first goal in league football. Dale equalised in the 36th. minute when Nicky Adams passed to substitute Matty Done who scored from close range.