A Joe Thompson headed goal was cancelled out by a Marc Richards penalty after a contentious decision by the assistant referee to award a penalty after Dale defender Nathan Stanton was struck on the elbow by the ball inside the penalty area, a decision that infruiated the Dale players and management alike.

Going into the game there were still a few questions to be answered over Dale's starting line-up. Much of the starting eleven was expected, but for a few exceptions. Kenny Arthur started in goal, with Tom Kennedy, Scott Wiseman, Nathan Stanton and Craig Dawson making up the back four. Captain Gary Jones partnered new signing Jason Kennedy in the middle, whilst Adam Rundle and Joe Thompson started down the flanks. Will Buckley and Chris Dagnall started up top for Dale.

The opening minutes passed without much event, as Dale were happy to keep possession and look to build an attack, whereas Vale seemed content to pump balls forward, trying to cause the Dale defence trouble in the air. The first shot of note came from Dale captain Gary Jones, as he saw his shot from 20 yards fly left of Chris Martin's near post. The home side tried to crank up the pressure on Dale with testing long balls, and but for a few minor scares, The Valiants didn't trouble Kenny Arthur in the Dale goal.

The first real chance of the game fell Dale's way in the 17^th minute, from their second corner of the game. Will Buckley tried an out-swinger with his right foot, and he found the head of Joe Thompson, who looped the ball towards the back post, and with Chris Dagnall waiting to pounce, a Port Vale managed to head the ball over his own crossbar and out for another corner.

Dale continued their positive football, and almost carved out another opportunity, when a diagonal ball from Tom Kennedy found Joe Thompson, before he cut inside two Vale defenders, and had his ball to Will Buckley cut out before the Dale number 30 could pull the trigger.

Port Vale almost had first effort on target midway through the first half, but a shot was blocked by Nathan Stanton, before he quickly poked the ball away ahead of the on-coming striker. From this, Dale played the ball forward into the path of Chris Dagnall, who did well to hold off his man, before turning and firing a shot off which was well held at the near post by Chris Martin.

Just minutes later, Dale looked to probe again. Adam Rundle found himself with the ball at his feet on the left hand side, and he cut inside the Port Vale box before seeing his shot easily saved by the home 'keeper. The ball almost immediately found itself back outside the Port Vale area with Chris Dagnall, who again did well to turn his man, and his ball reached Will Buckley, who couldn't get the ball out of his feet in time to get a shot off.

With half an hour gone, Dale were putting the majority of the pressure on the home side, and a quick free kick was played to Adam Rundle, who's ball across the face of goal was just met by Joe Thompson, but the winger couldn't play the ball towards goal. Dale found themselves troubling the home side from a corner again, as the ball fell to Chris Dagnall, who did superbly to create his own space and curl the ball towards the far post, and but for the fingertips of Chris Martin, Dale would have found themselves a goal to the good.

The first real attempt of note for Port Vale came with just five minutes of the first half remaining. A ball forward from the left-back Taylor was harmless enough, before hitting Craig Dawson in the back. The ball fell to Port Vale centre back Gareth Owen, who's right foot shot flashed wide of Kenny Arthur's right post.

The scoreboard remained untroubled throughout the rest of the first half as the game finished 0-0, although Gary Jones tested Martin again with a long range effort, but it was easily held by the Vale 'keeper.

Port Vale, probably fresh from a few strong words from new manager Micky Adams, came out for the second half with what looked to be a new, positive manner. It was they who created the first half chance of the second half, when a hooked shot from a corner hit Tom Kennedy in the head. There were claims for handball from the Vale crowd, but referee J Waugh, in his first season as a referee, waved away any appeals.

With ten minutes gone in the second half Dale created their first chance of the second 45 minutes, through Chris Dagnall. He received the ball on the right side, and jinked inside, taking the ball past four Vale players, but his poked shot didn't have enough power on it to trouble Chris Martin.

Both sides were happy to trade blows, with most of the football being played in the middle third of the pitch. A Dale corner fell to Adam Rundle on the edge of the box whose right-footed shot was blocked six yards out.

After a game which was dominated by the away side, the deadlock was finally broken in the 66^th minute. A ball down the left side found Will Buckley, who had made a great run behind the Vale defence. He took the ball under control before turning back on himself, and whipped a great ball across towards the back post, where Joe Thompson was lurking, and his header found its way into the back of the net, sending the 716 travelling Dale fans into raptures.

Five minutes after Thompson had got his name on the score-sheet, it looked as though Port Vale had equalised, but for the intervention of the linesman. A ball in from the left was claimed for by Kenny Arthur, but he dropped the ball under pressure, before the ball was turned home by the Vale strikeforce. However, the linesman's flag was waving on the nearside, and the goal was disallowed for a challenge on Kenny Arthur.

With fifteen minutes remaining Adam Le Fondre came off the bench for what could his last time in a Dale shirt, in place of Will Buckley and not long after Port Vale equalised. Work down the right from the home side saw a cross whipped in, which Dale centre back Nathan Stanton deemed to have stopped with his hand, despite holding his chest after the impact. The assistant referee put his flag up in favour of Vale this time, and a penalty was awarded. Former Dale loanee Marc Richards converted the spot kick to the right of Kenny Arthur, sending him the wrong way.

This goal seemed to re-invigorate the home side and their fans, as they looked to get the ball forward quickly and trouble Dale. Neither side could create a proper chance, although good work between Gary Jones and Adam Le Fondre almost carved out an opportunity for Dale to re-take the lead. Chris Dagnall made way for Jon Shaw with not much more than ten minutes remaining.

As the fourth official was putting the board up for 3 minutes of added time, a long range effort from Doug Loft was well saved by Kenny Arthur. But for a Dale corner late, this was the last action of the match, and the teams shared the spoils.

A 1-1 draw to kick off the 2009/10 season for Dale at Vale Park, and despite not picking up all three points, Dale can be take heart from the way they dominated the game, and played the better football overall.