Dagnall puts Dale back on track

Gary Jones lifts the Rose Bowl after Rochdale's win

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Rochdale 2 (Le Fondre pen, Dagnall)
Oldham Athletic 1 (Stam)

Rochdale returned to winning ways after their pre-season stumble at Southport with victory in the strongly contested Centenary Match against Oldham.

Rochdale regained the Rose Bowl in the friendly thanks to a superb late solo goal from Chris Dagnall.

This was Dale’s toughest test of pre-season thus far and they stood up to it well against their higher league opponents.

The debate will rage on as to whether or not Dagnall and Adam Le Fondre can play together up front due to their similar styles, the answer remains that it is not ideal but after this showing, with Glenn Murray still injured, the two proved that it would not be a complete disaster by scoring a goal each and playing well.

In Dale’s previous two friendlies they had enjoyed the lion’s share of the possession and struggled to create things, here Oldham were in the same boat with their moves being broken up by Dale’s harrying style and strong shape. The home side forced Oldham into long balls and if they ever kept the ball too long in the back four, Le Fondre and Dagnall were on hand to make nuisances of themselves.

Good Dale pressure led to an early chance for Le Fondre as Kelvin Lomax was forced into an error by Rory Prendergast, the ball broke for the striker but veteran keeper Mark Crossley showed his Premiership pedigree by grabbing the ball at Le Fondre’s feet.

A lively opening gave testament to the fact that neither side was taking the game lightly. Oldham had the individual class in their ranks to carve out openings despite their rusty appearance as a team and this was no more evident than when Michael Ricketts pulled the ball back for Jean Paul Kalala and it took the save of the match from James Spencer to turn the first time shot away for a corner.

The sides went into half time level after neither could score from the occasional half chance presented to them, although after Spencer’s top class save it was Dale who were offered the most presentable opportunity; Dagnall shot wide with Crossley advancing to meet a woefully short back pass from Sean Gregan.

Into the second half and Dale caught the visitors with their minds still in the dressing room after Le Fondre was allowed too much space in the box and he took advantage by running into it, nudging the ball past Stefan Stam and drawing the foul; played for by Le Fondre,  and a penalty rightly given by the referee. Le Fondre gave Crossley no chance with the spot kick to give Dale the lead.

The goal drew Oldham from their shells and by far their best spell of exerted pressure soon saw them draw level but not before Dagnall should have given Dale a two goal cushion when he found himself unmarked from a Prendergast corner, Crossley’s tip over the bar was superb but Dagnall should have cashed in on the gift.

This was all the warning Oldham needed that it was time for them to up their game and this they achieved quite comfortably. Dale were forced into some last ditch defending and conceded a succession of corners, something had to give and from the last of the set pieces Stam atoned for his trip on Le Fondre by burying a header at the far post.

Oldham sustained the pressure but Dale had the ideal men up front for the counter attack with the constant effort of Dagnall and Le Fondre. Dagnall lobbed the ball narrowly over the bar after Le Fondre linked his strike partner into his flowing run superbly with a pass that split the Oldham centre halves.

The visitors kept up the pressure and a couple of parried shots by Spencer had to be cleared by Rory McArdle before poaching strikers could get a second bite but the two of them could do nothing except by grateful when Matthew Wolfenden made a complete hash of a clear chance six yards and Spencer was able to gather.

Dagnall punished Oldham’s failed attempt to win it to the highest degree. Substitute Kallum Higginbotham did well to snatch the ball from Alan Wright but in truth the goal was all Dagnall’s making as he picked the ball up twenty-five yards out. Quick feet and superb close control enabled a dance beyond two defenders before a calm finish beyond Crossley.

It was a goal that deserved to win the game and one which will give Dale the encouragement that they are on the right lines. Pre-season is about progression from game to game, timing it right so that the players and the team is in full working order by August 11. The next step to that stage is Saturday’s friendly against Huddersfield.

Keith Hill’s problem in progressing beyond what was witnessed against Oldham will not be performance or fitness but injuries to four first team players. Nathan Stanton and Glenn Murray are yet to play a part in pre-season and they are two of the most important pieces in the team jigsaw, whilst niggling injuries for David Perkins and Adam Rundle, whilst not being anywhere near serious enough to rule them out for the season’s start, do prevent Keith Hill from being able to rotate and test his team selection.

Rochdale: Spencer, Ramsden, Kennedy, McArdle, Crooks (D’Laryea), Muirhead (Warburton), Doolan, Jones, Prendergast (Brown), Dagnall, Le Fondre (Higginbotham).

Oldham: Crossley, Lomax (Eardley), Wright, Kalala (McDonald), Thompson (Stam), Gregan, Ricketts, Allott, Davies (Smalley), Liddell, Taylor (Wolfenden).

Attempts (on target): Rochdale 8 (4) Oldham 9 (4)
Freekicks: Rochdale 14 Oldham 14
Offside: Rochdale 4 Oldham 3
Corners: Rochdale 6 Oldham 11