ROCHDALE 3, HARROGATE TOWN 3
New signing Tahvon Campbell scored a late leveller as Rochdale came back from the dead at home to Harrogate to snatch a valuable point in their battle against relegation from League Two.
The former West Brom striker, a January capture from non-league Woking, found the net in the 87th minute on his home debut to help Rochdale recover from a 3-1 deficit.
Rochdale manager Robbie Stockdale was delighted with his struggling side’s spirit.
“I am not deluded and know the position we are in. It would have been easy to lose today and easy for the players to go under,” he said.
“We showed character to come back from 3-1 down. I accept it was not pretty, but we dug it out to get a point which was a positive.
“The players showed good courage when it would have been easy for them to go under which was a positive.
“It is weird as I should be ecstatic with a 3-3 draw, but I look at it as a missed opportunity.”
Rochdale, with only one league win since the end of October and five points clear of the relegation places, looked down and out when Harrogate went 3-1 ahead shortly after half time.
They refused to throw in the towel and hit back with goals from substitute Abraham Odoh and Campbell.
Harrogate manager Simon Weaver took positives from the game, explaining: “It is only our second season in the league, and we are still work in progress and learning at this level.
“I am still absorbing everything in the game which was like a basketball match. We built a good 3-1 lead and could have scored five or six goals.
“I was disappointed with the two late goals we conceded, and we need to cut out the blunders, but the lads are giving their all.”
Harrogate, who had been early season promotion candidates before sliding to mid-table, went ahead in the third minute through a stunning strike from goalscoring midfielder Alex Pattison, a former Middlesbrough youth team player.
Left back Max Clark, a January capture from Fleetwood, equalised with his first goal for Rochdale, a bizarre effort which went in after striking the inside of both posts.
Pattison took his season’s tally to nine goals with a penalty which regained the lead for Harrogate. He had been tripped by Liam Kelly.
Harrogate looked to be in total command when Jack Diamond fired them 3-1 ahead within two minutes of the restart with his ninth goal of the season. And Weaver was delighted with his side’s attacking play claiming they could have scored five or six goals as he likened the game to a basketball match.
Half-time substitute Abraham Odoh, a former Charlton Athletic player, reduced the deficit just after the hour after Alex Newby and Stephen Dooley carved open the visiting defence.
And home fans were jubilant when Campbell opened his goalscoring account in his fourth game to make it 3-3 with a terrific finish after good build-up play from substitute Luke Charman and Clark.