Dale survived their FA Cup preliminary round tie at Consett, but only just.

Two dismissals, making it four in the opening five games, terrible weather and a Consett side who clearly fancied their chances, made it a long afternoon for the Dark Lane side who were happy to leave the north east with a well earned draw.

Dale weren't helped by the officials, especially Newcastle based referee Paul Brown, who at times baffled the entire crowd with his decisions, not least the eight minutes of added time which he found as Dale clung on with nine men to survive.

The first half belonged to the home side as they were quicker to the ball and looked like they wanted it more than a lackluster Dale who never got going.

It was little surprise when David Pounder hammered a free kick into the top corner in the 20th minute to give Consett the lead and, but for James Salisbury's save from Michael MacKay three minutes later, things could have been a lot worse.

Dale's first effort of note arrived in the 34th minute, when Ben Kitchen hammered a free kick straight at Craig Turns who held on well in the difficult conditions.

It was on the stroke of half time when the two sides fortunes changed when Dale were awarded a penalty for a clear shirt pull on Neil Zarac.

Zarac himself took the spot kick, sending Turns the wrong way to level the scores.

Having escaped on level terms, the large Dale following expected much more from their side after the break, but things took a turn for the worse just five minutes into the second half.

Clearly annoyed at the referee's assistant after he failed to spot a blatant pull in the area, Kitchen let the flag waver know what he thought and could have little to argue about as he was sent off for dissent.

Adam Koslowski, who was filling in at full back for the missing Daniel Warrender then went off injured.

There was just seconds left, or so everyone but Mr Brown thought, when Zarac was sent off for a second bookable offence even though it was clear that the Dale striker was the one fouled, and as added time dragged on, Dale managed to hold on for the replay tomorrow night.