RECAP: Rochdale host Scunthorpe with place at Wembley up for grabs

Rochdale are just a win away from a trip to Wembley Stadium for the National League play-off final, as they face Scunthorpe United in the semi-finals.

Jim McNulty’s side missed out on automatic promotion in dramatic circumstances on the final day. York City scored a 103rd minute equaliser in a 1-1 draw to deny Dale top spot.

After a game with few clear chances, Rochdale appeared to have secured the title when Mani Dieseruvwe headed home in the 96th minute to give his side the lead. Following a stoppage, play resumed, and Josh Stones scored a late equaliser for York City in a goal that proved decisive.

Scunthorpe arrive at the Crown Oil Arena this afternoon, after a 1-0 eliminator win against Southend United in midweek, with Callum Roberts scoring the decisive goal inside five minutes.

The two sides met twice in quick succession earlier this year, with the most recent encounter ending in a 2-2 draw in late March. Across 106 previous meetings, Rochdale have recorded 36 wins, Scunthorpe 40, with 30 draws between the sides.

We’ll be at the Crown Oil Arena this afternoon to bring you live updates as Rochdale aim to move one step closer to Wembley. Stay with us for all the key moments and reaction from this crucial National League play-off semi-final.

This concludes our live updates, please head over to the Local Sports news pages for more content. 

 No pitch invasion here. Scunthorpe leave the pitch downbeat. Dale in jublent mood. 

FULL TIME

DALE HAVE DONE IT!! WEMBLEY AWAITS!

INTO ADDED MINUTES! 

No idea how many?!

Half chance for Henderson. He's blocked! 

Dale sub: Beckwith on for East.

Oh it's not quite over.... Scunthorpe goal. 

Rochdale 2-1 Scunthorpe. 

⌚️𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇 𝐂𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐆𝐄

81’ Howe strides in, beats Whatmuff and slots home!

(ROCHDALE 2-1 IRON)

🤝 Buying business premises this year? Talk to Symes Bains Broomer Solicitors about commercial property 👉 https://t.co/w9jVeRSzua#UTI #IRON https://t.co/K1Ti3xVkX1 pic.twitter.com/axaqSaiJQI

— Scunthorpe United FC (@SUFCOfficial) May 3, 2026

Rochdale double sub, Henderson & Pritchard replace Rodney & Hannant. 

Standing ovation for both players.

Few nervy moments for Dale, as it pings around the area. Whatmuff gathers confidently.  

 Tyler Denton booked for Scunthorpe, for a foul on Ryan East right in front of the Rochdale dugout. 

 Triple change for the visitors. 

🔄 66’ 𝐈𝐑𝐎𝐍 𝐒𝐔𝐁𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐓𝐔𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒

⬅️ Oli Ewing, Pat Jones, Jean Belehouan
🔛 Alfie Beestin, Kian Scales, Ross Barrows

🔁 ꜱᴜʙꜱᴛɪᴛᴜᴛɪᴏɴꜱ ᴀʀᴇ ꜱᴘᴏɴꜱᴏʀᴇᴅ ʙʏ ᴊᴀᴄᴋꜱᴏɴ ꜱᴛᴀᴘʟᴇᴛᴏɴ ᴀᴄᴄᴏᴜɴᴛᴀɴᴛꜱ

(ROCHDALE 2-0 IRON)

🤝 Buying business… pic.twitter.com/yNLdDAVwg1

— Scunthorpe United FC (@SUFCOfficial) May 3, 2026

 Rodney nearly adds number three! His shot well saved by Jones from close range.

GOAL ROCHDALE 2-0 SCUNTHORPE UNITED.

DEVANTE RODNEY. TAKE. A. BOW! 

What a strike from Dale's no 10 to nestle in the top corner.

DEVVVVV COME ONNNNNN!!!!!#rafc 2-0 #scunthorpe pic.twitter.com/kJu1S78N0z

— Rochdale AFC (@officiallydale) May 3, 2026

Pettit goes from distance flies over the bar and in to the stand 

Scunthorpe nearly level it! The effort is tipped over for a corner.  

 Dale's keeper Whatmuff is caught off the ball by sub Declan Howe, he gets a yellow card.

MASSIVE CHANCE FOR DALE! Hannant through on goal, looks to put it into the right corner but the ball flashes wide. 

Casey Pettit gets us going for the second half. Big 45 minutes in Dale's season ahead.  

Scunthorpe out for the second half, well ahead of Dale. Tough half-time team talk?  

Finding the target early 💥#rafc pic.twitter.com/Ufg30zDPyO

— Rochdale AFC (@officiallydale) May 3, 2026

HALF TIME

Rochdale 1-0 Scunthorpe United.

Mani Dieseruvwe's goal on four minutes gives Dale a goal advantage at half time.

 Rochdale nearly add a second on the brink of half-time. Rodney's header goes over. 

 It's going to be some lengthy added time. Nine minutes signalled. 

Dan Moss can't continue taken straight down the tunnel, replaced by Casey Pettit 

 Belehouan isn't booked for Scunthorpe, despite appeals, as he fouls Moss. Some Dale fans calling for a red. 

Scunthorpe make the first change. Declan Howe replaces Danny Whitehall, who goes off through injury. 

Play resumes.  

Moss back on the field.

Dan Moss is down getting treatment. Both teams using it as a opportunity to have a drink. 

Adebayo-Rowling booked for Dale as Scunthorpe have a free-kick in a good area. 

Dale clear the free-kick well.

Half chance for Scunthorpe. Roberts sees his attempt blocked by Callum Perry in the penalty area.

Rochdale looking to make it 2-0. Good work down the left finds Gilmour who looks to find Diesruvwe but his cross is blocked. 

Horton booked for Scunthorpe for a foul in the middle of the pitch. 

Few shouts for a Dale penalty, as a free kick is floated in and Moss goes down. Referee not interested.  

 Scunthorpe shot from Roberts, straight down the path of Whatmuff in the Dale goal. 

 The winners of this game will face Boreham Wood at Wembley. 

WE. ARE. WEMBLEY. BOUND!!! 🏁#WeAreTheWood pic.twitter.com/Byn3um1KTc

— Boreham Wood FC (@BOREHAM_WOODFC) May 3, 2026

Looks like a Scunthorpe player might have got a touch, but Dale won't care.  

💥 Rockin' in Rochdale!

It's an early opener against Scunthorpe. pic.twitter.com/nXszMsHXXc

— National League on DAZN (@DAZN_NationalLg) May 3, 2026

GOAL ROCHDALE 1-0 SCUNTHORPE UNITED.

WHAT A START! HANNANT FINDS DISERUVWE IN THE SIX-YARD BOX WHO SLOTS HOME. 

Mani is on a great scoring run, three goals in as many games. 27 for the season. 

THAT IS SOME START ✨#rafc 1-0 #scunthorpe pic.twitter.com/r4v6foRmeE

— Rochdale AFC (@officiallydale) May 3, 2026

Scunthorpe get us underway. Some noise coming out of the COA. 

 Just before we get underway here, Boreham Wood take the lead. 

106' | ZAK BRUNT YOU ABSOLUTE BEAUTY!!! 😍

1-2 | #WeAreTheWood pic.twitter.com/SFTqS6UC7W

— Boreham Wood FC (@BOREHAM_WOODFC) May 3, 2026

TEN MINUTES UNTIL KICK-OFF. 

Superb atmosphere!

 A reminder that today is a sell-out at the Crown Oil Arena, and you can feel it!!

Tickets have now sold out for our playoff semi-final tie 🙌

Please do not travel to the COA without a valid match ticket 🎟️

See you tomorrow, Dale fans 💙#rafc pic.twitter.com/Bc7BZlbx3V

— Rochdale AFC (@officiallydale) May 2, 2026

The other semi-final goes to extra time. 

Heading to extra-time ⏯️ pic.twitter.com/XoxvI3OSNB

— Carlisle United (@officialcufc) May 3, 2026

 Rochdale welcome the return of Sam Beckwith for the first time since January. 

Beckwith. Is. Back 😁#rafc pic.twitter.com/3wpzys0KJC

— Rochdale AFC (@officiallydale) May 3, 2026

ROCHDALE TEAM NEWS: An unchanged starting eleven. Sam Beckwith returns on the bench, Aidan Barlow misses out. 

Your semi-final starters 💪#rafc pic.twitter.com/C2RH7U4JZG

— Rochdale AFC (@officiallydale) May 3, 2026

SCUNTHORPE TEAM NEWS: The Irons name the same eleven as in midweek.

📋 𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐌 𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐄-𝐔𝐏

Your Iron line-up for this afternoon’s promotion semi-final.

🤝 Social media on matchdays is sponsored by Symes Bains Broomer Solicitors 👉 https://t.co/y2o1OIOil0.#UTI #IRON pic.twitter.com/HJIAmOyX56

— Scunthorpe United FC (@SUFCOfficial) May 3, 2026

All set for the second semi-final 🏆@officiallydale | @SUFCOfficial pic.twitter.com/6faa9WEKZA

— Enterprise National League (@NL_Enterprise) May 3, 2026

 Scunthorpe United players & staff are checking out the surface ahead of today's game. Fans from both sides slowly filtering in. 

 All to play for in the second half in Cumbria. 

LEVEL AT THE BREAK ⏸️ pic.twitter.com/YWtM4LzksN

— Carlisle United (@officialcufc) May 3, 2026

Carlisle United level it up. 

40’ | BACK ON LEVEL TERMS!

Feeney receives the ball off Ajiboye inside the box before firing home at the near post.

COME ONNNNN ✊

Carlisle United 1-1 Boreham Wood https://t.co/tEEwTfrysD

— Carlisle United (@officialcufc) May 3, 2026

Boreham Wood have the lead just before the half-hour mark in the other semi-final. 

28' | DEADLOCK: BROKEN!!! 🔓

0-1 | #WeAreTheWood pic.twitter.com/HVLmxMiOpu

— Boreham Wood FC (@BOREHAM_WOODFC) May 3, 2026

The other semi-final in the National League play-offs is underway, currently 0-0 between Carlisle United & Boreham Wood. 

 We are in position at the Crown Oil Arena. Turnstiles open in 15 minutes. 

 Rochdale Council hoping Dale can 'bring it home' this afternoon. 

Bring it home @officiallydale 👊

Best of luck for today's big game v @SUFCOfficial

Up the Dale 💙🤍#rafc https://t.co/yxtfZSYRkt

— Rochdale Borough Council (@RochdaleCouncil) May 3, 2026

Dale fans will be travelling to a sold-out Crown Oil Arena this afternoon. 

Crown Oil Arena, we need you again.

Believe 👊#rafc pic.twitter.com/qJ8ilPwbav

— Rochdale AFC (@officiallydale) May 2, 2026

Good morning and welcome to live coverage as Rochdale take on Scunthorpe United in this huge National League play-off semi-final. With a place at Wembley up for grabs, there’s everything on the line this afternoon after Dale’s dramatic final-day heartbreak denied them automatic promotion.

How are the nerves, Dale fans?