Rochdale have failed to beat the Fleet in three games now but they’ll wonder how they didn’t come away with the points they looked to have sewn up after a stirring fightback by the men in red in the second-half.
Ben Chapman’s clever lob started the comeback and Rakish Bingham tucked away a Franklin Domi-won penalty just two minutes later to win a point after the visitors had taken a 2-0 first-half lead.
Jack Wakely, announced before kick-off as having returned as a permanent signing, was on the bench while there were starts for Louis John, Greg Cundle, Todd Kane and Jephte Tanga.
The game started much like last week’s, with the visitors on the front foot and the Fleet forced to hold a firm backline. Jake Burger sent an early free-kick towards the back post where former Fleet man Tobi Adebayo-Rowling arrived but he could only win a corner. Adebayo-Rowling continued to look dangerous down that right flank and he slotted a pass through to Kairo Mitchell but the effort was wide of the mark.
Rochdale were patient as they played it along their back line constantly looking for an opening and it meant the Fleet rarely got out of their half for long spells as the blue shirts maintained possession.
The first chance for the Fleet came just before the half-hour mark when Craig Tanner stepped up to take a free-kick but the Rochdale wall did its job and Tom Dallison was harshly called back for a foul as he tried to get on the rebound.
That would be the only chance of the first half for the Fleet but the home side looked like they were digging in just as Rochdale found the breakthrough. It came in the 36th minute when Conor McBride gave the Fleet defence the slip and he was able to pass the ball along the box, allowing Tarryn Allarakhia space down the left to let fly and curl his effort into the top corner with great technique.
McBride turned from providing the assist to goalscorer as he grabbed a second for the Dale as a mistake at the back almost opened the Fleet up but despite that let-off, Rochdale worked the ball back into the box and McBride made the hosts pay as he was able to divert the ball past Mark Cousins.
Rochdale continued their fine form into the beginning of the second-half, Adebayo Rowling firing a low shot at goal that Cousins pulled close to his chest. The visitors were content to stretch the Fleet with their passing game but it took just one moment for the game to turn away from them.
The comeback was on for the Fleet on 64 minutes when Chapman ran on to a loose ball inside his own half that Rochdale had let go. Catching David Robson off his line, Chapman launched a shot from distance that sailed over the desperately back-pedalling Robson.
And two minutes later, Fleet fans couldn’t believe how quickly the tide turned when Franklin Domi cut inside from the left channel and was tripped by Kyron Gordon. Bingham stepped up to take on his return to the side and fired the ball down the middle to level the scores.
Aware of last week’s late goal conceded to Oldham, Fleet kept up the momentum and both sides had spells in and around their opposition’s goal, Tanga going closest with a shot that was blocked as Robson failed to close down.
EUFC: Cousins, Kane, Domi, John, Dallison, Wright, Chapman (Randall 87), Cundle (Lawson 46), Tanner (Wakely 90), Tanga, Poleon (Bingham 46). Subs: Olagunju, Anthony, Berry
RAFC: Robson, Gordon, East, Allarakhia (Henderson 83), Mitchell, Adebayo-Rowling, Ayinde (Armstrong 59), Ferguson (Hogan 78), Burger, McBride (Henry 88), Beckwith. Subs not used: Kelly, Senior, Barlow.
Attendance: 1,452 (153 away)
Images courtesy of EUFC – Dave Plumb/Ed Miller