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Dale beat Accrington Stanley in the Adobe Women’s FA Cup preliminary round at the Crown Oil Arena on Sunday.
Sophie Coates’ first-half goal proved to be the difference, in a game where the woodwork was struck multiple times by both sides.
Dale set the tone early on as Gracie Smith saw a shot deflected wide, with Coates heading the resulting corner into the arms of Accrington goalkeeper Amy Hood.
A fine strike from Holly Davenport looked destined for the back of the net but came back off the face of the crossbar.
Smith then tried her luck from a similar position, only to see her effort hit the bar in the same fashion.
Dale goalkeeper Leah Jackson made a strong save from Melissa Adamson’s effort, before Davenport hit the woodwork again on the half-hour mark, as her shot on the turn hit the post.
Accrington then saw the frame of the goal deny them the opener, with Summer West crashing an effort off the bar.
Coates wasn’t to be denied five minutes before the break though, when she latched on to a ball behind the Accrington defence and calmly slotted into the far bottom corner.
After the break, Jackson held a low shot from Sanah Mehdi and Megan Oliver hit the inside of the Dale post.
At the other end, Coates had a strike held by the goalkeeper, and Davenport curled narrowly wide of the far post.
West was inches away from an equaliser for Accrington when her attempt from distance dropped wide of the post, after Jackson had raced off her line to clear danger.
Davenport had a low shot well saved by Hood as Dale looked to secure victory, and although there was a slightly nervy ending as Accrington pushed to take the tie to penalties, the Dale defence and goalkeeper Jackson stood strong to keep them at bay.
Dale XI | Jackson, Smith, Jones, Malpus ©, Whyte, Barnett, Moran, Coates, Mackie, Davenport, Whipp.
Subs | Simpson, Taylor, Keating, Strudwick, Mason, Priestley, Egbon.
Scorers | 40’ Coates.
