Rochdale beat Brackley Town in a match that produced ten goals and rarely settled into anything resembling pattern or control, with the home side edging a chaotic contest by the narrowest of margins.
Emmanuel Dieseruvwe put Rochdale ahead inside three minutes, and that early lead shaped the first half. Brackley responded well, with Zak Lilly equalising on 39 minutes to restore parity before the break. The contest appeared to be levelling out, but Tarryn Allarakhia restored the home advantage almost immediately after the restart, striking just seconds into the second half.
Dieseruvwe added his second on 60 minutes to give Rochdale what looked like a comfortable two-goal cushion. Brackley then forced the issue through substitutions, bringing on Tyler Smith and Kian Harratt around the hour mark, and the visitors responded. Kyron Gordon pulled one back on 71 minutes, and Jack Price levelled again just sixty seconds later. The game had turned completely.
Immanuelson Duku and David Tutonda both scored on 80 minutes, a double blow that briefly suggested Brackley would win it. Connor Hall and Zak Lilly both scored on 85 minutes and 90 minutes respectively to complete a frantic finish, with Lilly's late goal settling the matter at 5-5.
The final scoreline reflects a match neither side truly controlled. Both defences contributed generously throughout, and the result rewards persistence from Brackley more than it punishes any single failure from Rochdale.
Recap generated from the event timeline. Editorial team review by request. How we use AI.
