Despite having the sort of day when nothing went right for them 10-man Rochdale earned a very creditable point.

The home side started brightly only to lose influential midfielder Sean McClare to a serious facial injury.

Dale fell behind to first half goals from Alex Revell and Dave Kitson, before a Lee McEvilly penalty brought Alan Buckley’s side back into the game.

Ninety second slater their joy was tempered when striker Chris Shuker picked up a red card for a late tackle on Justin Walker.

Somehow though courtesy of the rampaging substitute McEvilly, Dale dragged themselves back into the game and Paul Connor’s back heel from a Wayne Evans’ cross completed the recovery on 79 minutes.

Rochdale are still looking for their first win of the season but this was a well earned point and it could have been three but for Cambridge keeper Shaun Marshall denying Connor at the death.

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