Crewe Alexandra 2-1 Rochdale

In their final pre-season game ahead of the new campaign next week, Steve Eyre’s Rochdale fell to defeat at the hands of Crewe Alexandra at a very warm Gresty Road.

The Dale manager named an unchanged side from that which beat West Brom on Tuesday with the exception of the goalkeeper after Matt Duke was released from his trial period. Swindon Town stopper David Lucas, who travelled on the recent training camp in Spain, was back in between the sticks after playing a couple of games for Preston in the hope of gaining a contract.

In 25°c temperatures, the game kicked off and within 90 seconds the hosts were in front. A defensive mix-up between Trotman and Kennedy allowed Powell to steal possession in a dangerous area and he fed Miller who dispatched the chance well past Lucas.

Dale looked for a way back into the game and almost got it on 4 minutes. Widdowson and Grimes played a neat one-two but from a very acute angle but the left full backs shot went right across the face of goal.

Most of the ball was at the feet of a Dale player but on 17 minutes the game went further the home side’s way. A failure to clear their lines led to a ball being played into the Dale area and referee Ilderton adjudged Tutte of handling inside the box and pointed to the spot which Shelley dispatched with ease straight down the middle.

Rochdale continued to see plenty of possession without really testing Phillips in the home goal. Grimes hit a powerful shot straight at the keeper whilst Phillips punched a deep free kick clear and Grimes half volley flashed over.

Some nice intricate football was on show from Eyre’s men but they lacked the finish when well placed. Jones fluffed one such chance when played in by Adams.

The hosts started the second period the brighter. Shelley showed great control on the edge of the area but his finish was wide whilst Dugdale saw his free header from a corner go wide.

Akpa-Akpro had a glorious chance to half the deficit just before the hour mark when Darby sent a delightful curling cross behind the home defence but the Frenchman headed over when perhaps he should have done better whilst just after the hour Jones rattled the post with a 25 yard effort that beat Phillips but not the woodwork.

The Dale boss made 4 changes to his side with Widdowson, Adams, Akpa-Akpro and Tutte being replaced by Twaddle, Thompson, Jarrett and Marshall.

The change did add more energy to the visitors and after a good spell of possession football they got the breakthrough. A passage of play with at least 20 passes ended with Marshall firing a 20 yard shot that deflected past Phillips for 2-1.

That’s as close as it got for Dale though who seemed to lack the zip their play showed in midweek. With news that Reece Gray (broken hand) and Simon Hackney (muscle strain) are set to miss the first month of the season, Steve Eyre must try and strengthen his squad ahead of the trip to Hillsborough next Saturday for the start of the League One campaign.

Eyre said: “Pre season as a whole has probably given us everything now. We aren’t pleased that we have lost today. We give players different projects during the week and on a match day and being good in both penalty areas was today’s task which we didn’t do.

“I’m not too disappointed with the whole performance, we had lots of possession and lots of rotation when in possession but at the end of the day we weren’t good enough in our own 18 yard box. And we weren’t good enough at the other end either.

“We will look at it through the week and get things right for Hillsborough. The early goal changes the whole complexion of the ground, the game, the players, and the dressing room. Neal has held his hand up in there but it’s not good enough. We felt Joe Widdowson could have done more to block off the cross in the build up to the penalty but we will have to look at it on the video. Just after you have settled from going 1-0 down we are 2-0 down.

“At half time we challenged the players to go out and win the second half which they did but we fell short of getting anything out of the game.

“Paul Marshall is capable of scoring like that he has a great left foot but he needs to do that more often. We like Dave (Lucas) and he is under consideration for a contract.

“We have spoken to a Premier League club about taking a young keeper on a season loan and ideally we would get them in and Dave aswell but finances may stop that.

“We will give the players some time off this week and work through today’s video before starting the preparations for Sheffield Wednesday next week. I made an outcry that we would be ready and I still believe we will be but not if we defend like the first 90 seconds today.”