Roy Hodgson, the Fulham manager, was preoccupied with the Barclays Premier League at the weekend, although this match at the other end of the League structure may have proved an understandable distraction. It has passed almost unnoticed that Hodgson has signed David Stockdale, a goalkeeper whose career was salvaged by Darlington after he was released by York City two years ago amid concerns that he was overweight.

Stockdale, 22, will link up with Fulham in July, but he refuses to think about his move until he has helped Darlington to reach League One. His contribution to that aim was a fine save from Rene Howe in the final seconds of this entertaining and fiercely contested semi-final first leg on Saturday. It is the sort of save Stockdale has been making throughout the season.

Dave Penney, the Darlington manager, said: “We expected him to save it. We have sold him for a lot of money, so he was just doing his job.”

Nevertheless, it was an impressive response from a goalkeeper who had been charging around his area only two minutes earlier as he celebrated the winning goal from Ian Miller. “It was a very emotional occasion to play my last home game and I went on a bit of a rampage after Ian’s winner,” Stockdale said. “Now I just hope we get through so people can’t say I was thinking about Fulham.”

Darlington deservedly led from the 28th minute, when Jason Kennedy, on loan from Middlesbrough and likely to be released by the top-flight club, flighted in a fine goal. Rochdale injected extra vigour in the second half and equalised in the 70th minute when Chris Dagnall’s shot was diverted in off the heel of Scott Wiseman. But Miller, a defender sent on in the 87th minute, headed Darlington back in front when Tommy Lee, the Rochdale goalkeeper, failed to catch a free kick by Neil Wainwright.

Keith Hill, the Rochdale manager, said: “It was a definite mistake from Tommy. I thought he had cut out that kind of indecision, although he’s done exceptionally well for us lately. He held his hand up and accepted the error. The occasion got to my lads in the first half, but we saw enough after the break to feel very confident about going back to Spotland.

“One goal is not much of a deficit when you look at the number of goals we score. There’s no despondency in the camp and it’s still a tight tie.”

Darlington (4-4-2): D Stockdale – S Wiseman, S Foster, A White (sub: I Miller, 87min), B Parker (sub: G Ndumbu-Nsungu, 79) – J Joachim, R Ravenhill, J Kennedy, R Purdie – M Cummins, T Wright (sub: N Wainwright 64). Substitutes not used: P Kazimierczak, C Keltie.

Rochdale (4-4-2): T Lee – S Ramsden, N D’Laryea (sub: M Holness, 66), R McArdle, T Kennedy – K Higginbotham, D Perkins, G Jones, A Rundle (sub: B Muirhead, 74) – C Dagnall (sub: A Le Fondre, 82), R Howe. Substitutes not used: J Thompson, C Basham. Booked: Jones.

Referee: P Armstrong
Attendance: 8,057