Pools came within a few seconds of securing a perfect Easter weekend but were denied back-to-back wins after Rodney, who scored four goals in 45 appearances in the North East, stole in to bag a last gasp leveller in the fifth and final minute of added time.
Pools led after Joe Grey’s acrobatic 65th minute opener but Rochdale, who had Grenadian striker Kairo Mitchell sent off following a strong challenge on Tom Parkes in the first half, snatched a point at the death after the visitors failed to make the most of a number of presentable opportunities to put the game to bed.
Boss Kevin Phillips was left seething after a succession of mistakes cost his side in the build-up to Dale’s equaliser, with Pools unnecessarily giving up possession down by the corner flag before failing to deal with a bouncing ball that allowed Rodney in on goal.
So, here’s a look at how the Pools players rated from a mixed Easter Monday afternoon in Greater Manchester.
1. Pete Jameson: 7
Had a fairly quiet afternoon but must have thought he'd done enough to keep a third clean sheet in five matches after getting down brilliantly well to keep out a low driving effort from the lively Cian Hayes that was destined for the far corner in the final minute of normal time. Was let down by a rare mistake from the two normally towering defenders in front of him as Rodney stole in for a 95th minute equaliser. Photo: Mark Fletcher
2. David Ferguson: 7
Endured a fairly torrid opening half-an-hour as he struggled to get to grips with the impressive Cian Hayes as well as the overlapping Kyron Gordon, although he stuck to his task well enough. Was able to exact some revenge after Mitchell's red card, although supporters might have liked to see him attack with a little more urgency. In all, a solid afternoon from the typically reliable 29-year-old. Photo: Mark Fletcher
3. Tom Parkes: 6
Probably didn't do Kairo Mitchell too many favours with his reaction to the Grenadian striker's strong challenge, although from a Pools perspective it was canny play from the experienced defender. Undid a lot of his good work with a mistake, in combination with Luke Waterfall, that led to Devante Rodney's late equaliser, although it's worth remembering how few errors the pair have made since signing for the club. Didn't cover himself in glory following a minor tantrum after conceding the goal but having players who are passionate about preserving a clean sheet is no bad thing. Photo: Mark Fletcher
4. Luke Waterfall: 6
Neither he nor Parkes managed to deal with a bouncing ball, so often their bread and butter, sent forward more in hope than expectation that ended up leading to Dale's 95th minute equaliser. Until then, the duo had acquitted themselves well against a Rochdale attack that posed a variety of different threats. Would have been good value for another shutout, but what appeared to be a brief miscommunication and a costly misjudgement denied them. Photo: Mark Fletcher