It probably didn't take a genius to work out that Dale would have to score twice to win with Grant Holt returning to Spotland for the first time and certain to find the net. That is indeed how things turned out as ,in an even and entertaining contest ,Holt produced a brilliant individual goal on the hour to give his side the lead only to see it cancelled out by substitute Lee McEvilly's second half brace.

Will Buckley was absent ill and Scott Wiseman sidelined due to suspension but with Nathan Stanton returning from his ban the Dale line up had a familiar look about it against their big spending visitors.

For long periods of the game there was little between the sides and in the end it the intense will to win that has been instilled by Messrs Hill and Flitcroft that finally came up trumps.

The teams went in the break even with, in truth the best chances arriving in a flurry in the final minutes. Holt headed over in front of the Sandy Lane End when he should have done better and at the other end after a flowing move Joe Thompson saw his well hit low drive brilliantly blocked by defender Kelvin Langmead. Early in the game from a Jon Shaw knockdown Adam le Fondre fired just over and Shaw himself also went close with a low left footed effort from distance that skimmed the foot of the post.

The visitors started the second period much brighter and it took a brilliant save by Sam Russell to deny Richard Walker who had been fed by a great Holt touch. Not long after it though the Dale keeper was powerless as Holt produced a great turn and even better left footed finish for his teams first goal in over 360 minutes of football to remind the home fans just how good he is.

Cue McEvilly. Jon Shaw appeared at the break to be struggling with his hamstring and after around 10 minutes of the second period "Evil" was unleashed and produced the sort of barnstorming performance that marked his first spell at the club.

The equalising goal arrived on 67 minutes. Adam Le Fondre was flattened on the edge of the penalty area, with many feeling that it was inside. From the subsequent free kick, instead of blasting it  as all who know him might have expected McEvilly produced a low curling effort beyond the fingertips of the badly placed Shrews keeper Luke Daniels.

Not long after the goal Chris Dagnall was introduced from the the bench and his partnership with McEvilly pushed the overworked visiting defence further and further onto the back foot. Time and again last ditch tackles and brave blocks kept the home side at bay but on 82 minutes they finally got their noses in front with a rare goal from a corner. Dagnall saw his header from a wickedly delivered Clark Keltie ball cleared off the line by Ben Davies but only against the onrushing McEvilly who finished, without knowing too much about it,, from 3 yards.

In the dying minutes Dale might have added a picture book third as Adam Rundle juggled his way into the box only to be denied by a fine save by Daniels and from the rebound Ciaran Toner who had been outstanding throughout fired narrowly over.

In the end, as Keith Hill said in his summary this was a triumph of sheer hard work and will to win in front of a more than decent Festive crowd. The win provided a stirring end to a memorable year and with Dale so close to the automatic promotion places as a result we can all look forward to Vale Park on Sunday and the onrushing 2009 with real belief.

Dale
Russell, Ramsden, Stanton, McArdle, Kennedy, Thompson, Keltie, Toner, Rundle, Le Fondre, Shaw.
Subs:-Spencer, Jones M, Dagnall, McEvilly, Holness

Shrewsbury
Daniels, Moss, Coughlan, Langmead, Humphrey, Davies, Murray, Cansdell-Sherriff , McIntyre, Walker ,Holt.
Subs :Garner,Herd, Leslie, Symes, White

Referee Dave Foster
Assistants P Banks and K W Haycock
4th Official C N Harwood