Ndah and Miller pounce again as Wolves end Rochdale’s run

Wolves 3 Rochdale 1

Ndah had scored the winner against Newcastle and then the pair of them had both struck twice in the win over Leicester in the previous round. This time Ndah delivered the opener and Scotland international Miller the decisive second to ensure Rochdale did not take a third First Division scalp after knocking out Preston and Coventry.

Just for good measure, substitute Adam Proudlock added a third with his first touch in injury-time.

Mark Kennedy was involved in most of their Wolves' best attacks, providing a string of dangerous crosses, while Paul Ince and Colin Cameron looked to have a grip in midfield.It looked as if Ndah was again going to grab the headlines as he followed his goals against Newcastle and Leicester by giving Wolves a deserved lead.

But they could not kill off the men from Spotland, who were indebted to a couple of crucial saves from Matthew Gilks.

They silenced the home fans with an equaliser from Gavin Melaugh and for a spell looked as if they were going to earn a replay.

But then up popped Miller to help earn Wolves a place in the last eight for the first time in five seasons. They were on the offensive from the first whistle and Kennedy was only just too high with a rising effort from 25 yards.

Rochdale keeper Matthew Gilks held onto a deflected effort from Wolves midfielder Cameron after he had played a neat one-two with Ince.

Rochdale threatened for the only time in the opening 45 minutes when Scott Warner was foiled by the alert Matt Murray after seizing a pass from David Flitcroft. Rochdale's Simon Grand became the first player to be booked at the half hour mark for a lunge at Ndah and two minutes later the Wolves player broke the deadlock.

Wolves had appealed in vain for a penalty when Gareth Griffiths blocked a cross from Shaun Newton which went out for a corner.

But the resulting cross from Kennedy led to the goal with Ince miskicking but Ndah behind him to turn home from six yards.

It continued his record of having scored in every round of the FA Cup and was his fifth in his last five starts.

Former Aston Villa midfielder Melaugh became the second Rochdale player to be booked after 41 minutes for hauling down Cameron in full flight.

Gilks was again in the thick of the action at the start of the second period when he turned a well-struck effort from Kennedy around the post.

But after 52 minutes Rochdale sent their 4,000 fans wild with delight via an equaliser from Melaugh.

Simpson let fly with a hopeful effort from 35 yards but the ball deflected off Melaugh and left Murray stranded as it flew into the corner of the net.

With 11 minutes left, Miller restored Wolves' lead after Gilks had parried the initial shot from Lee Naylor. And in injury time Cameron shot and Proudlock slid in at the far post to bundle home.

WOLVES: Murray, Irwin, Butler, Lescott, Naylor, Newton (Rae 74), Ince, Cameron, Kennedy, Miller (Proudlock 90), Ndah.

ROCHDALE: Gilks, Evans (McCourt 82), Griffiths, Grand, Warner, Flitcroft, Simpson, Melaugh, Hill, Platt, McEvilly.