In front of a crowd of almost 1,500, goals from Ian Henderson and Levi Amantchi, either side of a Burnley equaliser, sealed three points in our first game of Group A.
Jimmy McNulty made eight changes from Saturday’s league opener, although Ryan East, one of the three remaining starters, was substituted in the first minute for Ian Henderson. This was pre-planned in an attempt comply with the rules of the competition that states there must be a minimum number of starters from either the previous or next league fixture.
Dale worked their way forward on a number of occasions in the opening 15 minutes but couldn’t create a chance that tested goalkeeper Charlie Casper, with opposite number Tom Myles, debuting for Dale, making the first save of the afternoon from Kian McMahon-Brown’s shot.
Levi Amantchi had two shots in less than a minute on the Burnley goal, sending one over the bar and another into the arms of Casper.
Myles held a header from Thomas Tweedy and Henderson had a shot blocked before the break, whilst McMahon-Brown sent a free-kick over the bar for the visitors after the break.
Dale won a free-kick of their own minutes later, which Casey Pettit crashed off the underside of the crossbar from just outside the area.
However, less than a minute later, Dale took the lead. Half-time substitute Jake Burger drove into the area and squared, with the ball finding the run of Henderson, who fired into the roof of the net.
The visitors equalised in the 75th minute when McMahon-Brown found his way into the area and rounded Myles, before slotting home into the empty net.
Dale were level for less than three minutes though, before Amantchi scored his first goal for the club. Tutonda dug out a beautifully weighted cross from the left, which Amantchi rose highest to meet, sending it back across goal and into the far corner.
Fabio So fired over for the visitors and Liam Hogan headed narrowly wide for Dale late on, as we held on for a win in our opening group game.
Dale XI | Myles, East (1’ Henderson), Hogan ©, Allarakhia (61’ Gomez-Mancini), Amantchi, Pettit, Pritchard (25’ Griffiths), McBride (46’ Burger), Moss, Humbles, Beckwith (25’ Tutonda).
Unused subs | Whatmuff, Edwards.
Scorers | 56’ Henderson, 78’ Amantchi.
Burnley XI | Casper, Blackie, Pimlott, Williams (78’ McEvilly), Ashton ©, Campbell, McMahon-Brown, Leuluai (60’ So), Ryan (60’ Masara), McCoy, Tweedy (60’ Pouani).
Unused subs | Chester.
Scorers | 75’ McMahon-Brown.
Attendance | 1,452.
