Honours even after a real old fashioned, game of 2 halves at Spotland.

 In the first half only one side was going to win and in the second, ditto. Manager Keith Hill was for once almost scathing in his criticism of his side for their first 45 minutes when they lacked any form of cohension or confidence but after the break with youngster Will Buckley terrorising a previously untested Bury rearguard we had a real game on our hands.

Bury took the lead early on courtesy of a rare Sam Russell error before Buckley won 2 penalties , one missed by Chris Dagnall the other thumped home by Adam le Fondre.

Keith made farly sweeping changes to the side rewarding Buckley for a terrific midweek Reserve showing and re uniting Messrs le Fondre and Dagnall up front but it was Bury, with the confidence of their 100 % start behind them who completely bossed matters virtually from the off

It was The Shakers who got their noses in front after just 7 minutes when Russell, surrounded by a crowd scene on his goal line punched an inswinging Brian Barry Murphy corner into his own net.

The keeper though made amends to deny Andy Bishop with a good save on 19 minutes and an even better 7 minutes before the break when a rare slip by Rory McArdle let Bishop through on goal.

Right from the off in the second half Dale looked better and more positive and might have equalised on 51 minutes when Le Fondre headed wide when a Tom Kennedy cross left him virtually un marked in the box.

On 59 minutes Buckley turned cleverly in the box and was adjudged by referee Bates to have been impeded by Efe Sodje. Chris Dagnall stepped up to take the penalty but struck it without confidence and Wayne Brown having guessed right was able to make a fairly simple save. 

Dagnall almost made amends within minutes having been picked out by Scott Wiseman he chested the ball down, lifted it over the onrushing Brown but saw it clear the cross bar by inches.

By now Buckley was beginning to run amok causing Dave Buchanan all sorts of problems and having burst passed him again on 66 minutes he was gain upended for what was a stone cold penalty. having won his argument with Clark Keltie it was Adam Le Fondre who had the responsibility and he made absolutely no mistake.

Dale continued to press right until the final whistle but the nearest they came to snatching a winner saw Buckley fire just wide after another mazy run.

During the game Keith took exception to the comments of one supporter sat behind him and had something of a heated argument that he described later as a "lovers tiff". His interview on Daleworld makes interesting listening and is now available on site as he says that he is going to take a few days off next week and leave Dave Flitcroft holding the reins.

An interesting day and a draw perhaps a fair result

Rochdale
Russell, Wiseman, Kennedy, Stanton, McArdle: Buckley, Jones, Keltie, Rundle: LeFondre, Dagnall
Subs Ramsden, Higginbotham, Thorpe, Toner, Shaw 

Bury
Brown, Scott, Sodje, Futcher, Buchanan: Bennett, Dawson,Jones,Murphy; Bishop, Morrell
Subs Hurst Baker Cresswell Racchi Belford 

Officials
Referee  Tony Bates (Staffordshire)
Assistants P Quinn and A N Smith
4th Official P Bramley

Attendance 5492 (1916 away supporters)