Second-half goals from Chris Dagnall, Joe Thompson and Dale Stephens brought about a fantastic comeback from Dale after being three goals down at half-time.

Dale named the same side that defeated neighbours Bury 3-0 last Saturday, meaning there was two changes from the side that was knocked out of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy by Bradford on Tuesday. Kenny Arthur started in goal, with Matt Flynn, Craig Dawson, Marcus Holness and Tom Kennedy along the back four. Gary Jones returned to the side after missing the Bradford game through illness to partner Jason Kennedy in midfield. Will Buckley and Joe Thompson started on the wings whilst Chris O'Grady returned to partner Chris Dagnall up front for Keith Hill's side.

There were fireworks on the pitch before the game, but the Dale contingent inside Christie Park will have been hoping the metaphorical fireworks during the game were slightly better than those on display as the players trudged out of the tunnel. However, the game did take a little while to come to life. Chris Dagnall unleashed the first shot of the match with 8 minutes gone, although his left foot snap-shot was easily saved by the Morecambe goalkeeper Barry Roche.

In the 10th minute Dale created a superb chance to take the lead. Link up play between Chris Dagnall and Will Buckley led to the former playing a superb through ball for the latter, but Buckley's shot was timid and tipped wide by Roche. The Dale winger will have been disappointed with his effort as it was a great chances to give his side and early lead.

Morecambe were causing trouble with their long balls aimed towards their new signing Paul Mullin, who's strength and determination was causing trouble for Dale's centre-back pairing of Holness and Dawson, as The Shrimps forced a couple of early corners. However, Sammy McIlroy's side couldn't take advantage of these early set piece situations, although they did have a few long range efforts which caused some panic amongst the Dale faithful, but most went harmfully wide of Kenny Arthur's goal.

Chris Dagnall caused panic on the edge of the Morecambe area as he twisted and turned between the two centre-backs, but Dale's number nine could only force a corner for his side. Whilst both sides were getting high up the field, neither could force a real opening, as set-pieces seemed to provide most danger, especially for the home side.

For the twenty minutes following Buckley's chance to give Dale the lead, there were no real chances of note. The home side were causing Keith Hill's men trouble in the air with their strike partnership of Mullin and Jevons and it was to be the latter player who opened the scoring in the 33rd minute. Laurence Wilson had time and space down the left and his low ball across the box was dummied by Mullin straight into the path of former Bury loanee Jevons and he produced a calm finish with his left foot to open the scoring Morecambe.

Keith Hill's side will have been hoping to hit back straight away, as they did the last time they conceded the first goal of the game at Rotherham, but it was the home side who doubled their advantage just five minutes later in the 38th minute. Tom Kennedy dallied on the ball for too long 30 yards from his own goal and was caught out by Morecambe winger Ian Craney. Craney took the ball on and into the left channel before releasing a left foot shot which rolled past Kenny Arthur's despairing dive and into the bottom corner of the goal.

The two quick goals seemed to rock Dale and it could have easily been 3-0 going into half-time as Phil Jevons smashed a drive against the foot of Kenny Arthur's right post from a tight angle. But unfortunately for Dale it was to be 3-0 going into the break and it was Jevons again who piled the misery on the team in purple. Morecambe did well to work the ball down the right side and Ian Craney played a fantastic ball into the path of Jevons who slid to slot the ball over the advancing Kenny Arthur and give the home side a three goal advantage.

The first half came to a close with Morecambe three goals to the good, leaving Keith Hill with some work to do at half-time if his side were to claim anything from their visit to Christie Park.

Hill made two changes at half-time as he looked to drag Dale back into the game. Scott Wiseman came on for Matt Flynn at right-back, whilst Kallum Higginbotham came on for Chris O'Grady, as Joe Thompson pushed up front alongside Chris Dagnall.

Dale will have been looking to make a quick start to the second half and that is exactly what they did with three minutes gone. Tom Kennedy picked up a clearance in his left-back position before playing a ball into the feet of Chris Dagnall on the edge of the box. He turned his defender superbly before racing into the box and producing a magnificent calm finish past Barry Roche to make it 3-1 and give Dale a lifeline.

This gave the Dale side and fans a new lease of life as a comeback looked to be on the cards, but it was Morecambe who had the next chance of the match. The ball fell to Stewart Drummond inside the box, but he lifted a right foot shot over Kenny Arthur's bar.

Keith Hill's men upped the pressure on the home side and forced a series of corners. Gary Jones could have reduced the deficit to one, but his rasping left foot shot hit a Morecambe defender before bouncing clear.

With ten minutes gone in the second half Dale captain Gary Jones was substituted by Dale Stephens who made his debut for Dale. Dale's captain looked to have picked up a knock and couple with the virus he picked up in midweek, Keith Hill and Dave Flitcroft thought it was best for Jones to be replaced.

Tom Kennedy had a David Beckham like moment 15 minutes into the second half when he tried to chip Barry Roche from distance, but Roche was equal to it and managed to keep it out before the ball crossed the line.

It was Dale who were producing all the football and making all the running in the half as they looked to claw their way back into the game with a second goal. The pressure paid off in the 19th minute as Dale did get a second goal. Scott Wiseman did well to win a corner which Will Buckley swung in, and Joe Thompson rose the highest to glance the ball with his head into the back of the net.

With Dale now within one goal of equalising, Morecambe's nerves started to become visible. As the rain streamed down at Christie Park, the pressure from the away side continued. Corner after corner was forced by the team in purple, but with no final product. When Morecambe did come forward they were restricted to long shots by the Dale defence which failed to trouble Kenny Arthur.

Then came the equaliser for Dale, and it was debutant Stephens who brought it. A cross was deflected up into the air and after a scramble in the Morecambe area, the ball came out to the edge of the box for Stephens who struck a magnificent left-footed drive into the bottom corner to send the Dale fans behind the goal into an absolute frenzy.

Spirits were predictably high amongst the Dale side and fans and it looked for a moment as though Dale had completed the comeback, but for an assistant's flag. Tom Kennedy cut inside onto his left foot and released a left-foot shot at goal, which Joe Thompson flicked onto the post, before Chris Dagnall eventually turned the ball home, but Thompson was flagged offside by the assistant on the nearside.

As Dale went forward in search of a winner, Morecambe started to pick gaps in the Dale defence. Substitute Michael Twiss went close on two ocassions, once with a header that went over the bar from a good angle, and another which he lifted over Kenny Arthur but wide of the post.

Four minutes of added time were signalled by the assistant referee as Dale pushed forward through Kallum Higginbotham. He put the ball in to Chris Dagnall inside the box, who took a great first touch but his shot was straight at Roche who saved well with his legs. The last action of the game came from a corner, but when Roche caught the ball, referee Neil Swarbrick blew for full time which brought a fantastic game to an end.

Dale's first half performance left a lot to be desired, but after a half-time team-talk from Keith Hill, his side came out for the second half with intent and showed that by dragging themselves back into the game and gaining a point, which at one point seemed an impossible task.


Morecambe: Roche, Moss, Adams, Artell, Bentley, Jevons, Craney, Panther, Drummond, Wilson, Mullin.
Dale: Arthur, Flynn, Dawson, Holness, T Kennedy, Jones, J Kennedy, Thompson, Buckley, O'Grady, Dagnall.

Referee: Neil Swarbrick. Assistant Referees: M Diccicco & P Marsden. Fourth Official: R Jones.

Attendance: (619 Dale fans).