DALE OFF TO WEMB-LEE

Dale had fought back from 3-1 down on aggregate to drag the game into extra-time with a Chris Dagnall strike and David Perkins stunner.

And although Perkins was sent off in extra time for a foul on Ricky Ravenhill, Hill's men held on for a shootout and Muirhead buried the final penalty after Lee saved Jason Kennedy's fifth effort for Darlo.

Boss Hill, 39 on Saturday, said: "When I put Ben on late in the game, he told me that he would win the game for me and he has gone and done it.

"If I was celebrating my 29th birthday, I'd have been going out on the lash after that!

"But I'm 39, not 29, so I'm happy to celebrate quietly by watching the FA Cup final and then reading all the websites about our game."

Hill confirmed he will appeal against Perkins' red card in the hope he can play in the final.

The Spotland boss added: "Rochdale have been billed as the whipping boys of the league for too long, so it's great to be going to Wembley."

Dale dominated throughout and Dagnall should have opened the scoring for the home side when he headed Adam Rundle's cross over the bar from six yards inside the opening 60 seconds.

Bizarre

The former Tranmere striker then blazed over from 25 yards after robbing keeper David Stockdale outside the penalty area before missing the open goal.

Having rode their luck, it was perhaps no surprise when Darlington took the lead from the penalty spot on 27 minutes following a bizarre decision by referee Beeby.

The Northants whistler pointed to the spot following an apparent Rene Howe tug on Jason Kennedy — but replays showed the decision to be extremely harsh.

Clark Keltie netted from the spot, though, to put Darlington 3-1 ahead on aggregate and move Dave Penney's men to within sight of Wembley.

Rochdale fought back, however, and Dagnall hauled them level on the day when he pounced on a mistake by Stockdale to net from two yards on 43 minutes.

The home side almost fell further behind early in the second-half when Ricky Ravenhill hit the bar.

But Perkins levelled the tie on aggregate 12 minutes from time with an awesome 30-yard strike.

He cut in from the right before leaving Stockdale grasping thin air with a left-foot rocket.

The former Morecambe man was then sent off for stamping on Ravenhill 10 minutes from the end of extra time.

But Rochdale held on and slotted all their five from the spot to seal the tie and book their ticket to the final tomorrow week.

Darlington boss Dave Penney said: "It's a fine line between success and failure, but that's the way it goes sometimes, especially with penalties.

"An injury to our striker Mickey Cummins didn't help us, but we have to live with it now and prepare for next season."