Keith Hill, the Rochdale manager, has been invited to switch on the town’s Christmas decorations, but the lights have already gone out on his team’s FA Cup ambitions after Kevin Gallen earned Luton Town victory in their first-round replay.
Luton have endured a torrid time, culminating in their demotion from the Football League last season, but the Bedfordshire club can look forward to a second-round date away to Rotherham United after Gallen produced a vintage goalscoring performance. The 34-year-old, who partnered Les Ferdinand in attack at Queens Park Rangers, punished Rochdale, who wasted a string of chances in the opening 45 minutes, with two second-half goals to spoil Danny Taberner’s senior debut.
Seven days after helping Rochdale to reach the second round of the FA Youth Cup, Taberner became Rochdale’s youngest goalkeeper, aged 16 years and 147 days, after injuries to Kenny Arthur, the first-choice, and Matt Edwards, the reserve.
The teenager had little to do other than pick the ball out of his net as Rochdale fell victim to an audacious smash-and-grab, thanks to Gallen. “He has obviously been a quality goalscorer in his time and he still is,” Richard Money, the Luton manager, said.
Luton had allowed a 3-0 half-time lead to slip in Saturday’s meeting between the sides and they still appeared in a state of shock last night, as Rochdale dominated without hurting their non-League opponents.
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Thomas Kennedy and Chris O’Grady went close in the opening five minutes for the home side, before Adam Rundle forced a fine save from Shane Gore. Chris Dagnall, the Rochdale striker, caused the Luton defence countless problems and would have had a hat-trick with more luck.
In December 2003, when Luton were a division above Rochdale in League One, they came to Spotland and ran out comfortable 2-0 winners to book a place in the FA Cup third round. How times have changed. Although Rochdale remain in Coca-Cola League Two, Luton are in the fifth tier after a traumatic few years. Their main aim is to win promotion back to the Football League, yet they can look forward to a trip to South Yorkshire after Gallen settled the tie with two goals in 14 minutes.
First, he side-footed in Tom Craddock’s low centre in the 59th minute, and he sealed his side’s victory when he bundled the ball over the line as Rochdale failed to advance past the first round for the fourth time in five seasons.
Hill believes that his players were affected by the frustration of the home crowd. “There has got to be a bit of patience and understanding from our fans,” Hill said. “I’m not having a go at them, but their reaction seeped on to the pitch.”
Rochdale (4-4-2): D Taberner — T Kennedy, R McArdle, C Dawson, M Holness — J Thompson (sub: K Higginbotham, 61min), G Jones, J Kennedy, A Rundle (sub: M Magna, 66) — C O’Grady, C Dagnall. Substitutes not used: J Andrews, J Brizell, M Flynn, S Spencer, C Byrne.
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Luton Town (4-4-2): S Gore — E Asafu-Adjaye, J Howells, A White, G Pilkington — R Jarvis, A Burgess, A Hall (sub: A Newton, 68), K Nicholls — K Gallen (sub: R Charles, 83), T Craddock (sub: C Gnakpa, 76). Substitutes not used: S Blackett, C Reynolds. Booked: Nicholls, White, Gnakpa.
Referee: A Bates.