Rochdale followed up the good midweek performance at Fleetwood Town with another against Premiership outfit Bolton Wanderers at Spotland on Saturday.

Dale manager Keith Hill stuck with the same side from the midweek trip to the seaside as preparations for the new season continued and he was delighted with the way his side played.

"I thought we were excellent to be honest. We have played right across the spectrum now from Rossendale through to Bolton and we looked quite comfortable in our progression.

"Today was about two good sides wanting to play football and i'm really pleased with the outcome.Chris O'Grady's goal was incredible and it is probably the best goal we will see all season at Rochdale.I think it consisted of fifteen passes, all to feet and what an outstanding finish.

"It was a good performance all round and if anyone is moaning about that performance I suggest they go take up something else like Cricket."

Rochdale enjoyed a good start to the game, pressing in the early stages and taking the game to Bolton but without really breaking through a solid rearguard or troubling 'keeper Bogden.The same could be said for the visitors who managed a spell of their own shortly after again defence coming out on top after a shot on turn by Tamir Cohen eight yards out that was superbly blocked by Dale defender Joe Widdowson.

Hill's side showed they weren't in awe of their Premiership counter-parts and soon wrestled the initiative back.A good spell of possession football on seven minutes resulted with a tame shot by skipper Gary Jones, but it was the build up, the 20 or so passes together with the movement and tempo from Dale was that was very encouraging.

That move brought with stalemate in terms of goal mouth action for a while as two equally matched sides wrestled to take command though the odd moment of excitement intercepted the quiet atmosphere of Spotland

One such moment arrived for the visiting Wanderers fans' after a whipped in ball by Johan Elmander was met with a neat header by Cohen but his effort crashed off the bar with Lillis in the Dale goal stretching.

On 36 minutes Bolton took the lead from the penalty spot after an error by Dale's Craig Dawson who handled in the box.It was a little harsh on the Rochdale defender after he went to ground and the ball rattled around his body however there was no mistake from Robbie Blake who stepped up to send Lillis the wrong way and his side into the lead.

Hill's side almost responded five minutes later after a swift move down the right started by Chris O'Grady ended with his shot from 18 yards only just clearing the bar.

Just before the break Jason Kennedy flashed a 20-yarder wide of the target following a quickly taken freekick by Barry-Murphy and a neat lay off by O'Grady.

There was still time for O'Grady to get into the action once more as the final seconds of the half ticked away.O'Grady left Elmander on his backside after showing the Bolton man a few tricks wide on the right but alas despite the best efforts of the Rochdale striker he failed to test Adam Bogdan in the goal.

The second half began with Bolton making a couple of changes.Former Dale loanee Chris Bashman made way for Martin Petrov and MustaphaRiga replaced Danny Ward.

Dale began were they left off at the end of the first half, on the attack and much of the home sides best chances arrived from the left with Widdowson proving to be very effective down the flank from his defensive position at the back.

Rochdale continued to press for the equaliser and this time it was Frenchman Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro who went looking for it.Sadly his good work in finding the opening for a shot was undone as he sent a vicious effort over the bar after turning inside his man inside the box.

Owen Coyle brought Matty Taylor and Mark Davies on for Robbie Blake and Tamir Cohen and almost a minute later Dale boss gave trialist Dean Morgan a run out after he replaced Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro.

Josh Lillis pulled off a tremendous reaction stop after a low drive deflected up from leg of Craig Dawson, while at the other end substitute Morgan almost converted his first touch into a goal but his skimming header was collected easily by Bogdan.

Joe Thompson too could have levelled the game some 15 minutes into the half after great work down the left flank by Widdowson who was providing some excellent opportunities for the Rochdale attack.Thompson will perhaps wonder how his effort on the back post failed to find the target after a low drive into the box by Widdowson and that proved to be his last action of the game as he was replaced by Matthew Done minutes later.

Rochdale continued to look for the goal that would level matters and it duly arrived with six minutes to go.Chris O'Grady equalised on 84 minutes with an unstoppable stop from just outside the box.Excellent passing from Hill's side and good work again down the left by the over-lapping run of the energetic Widdowson only this time it served as a distraction as O'Grady ignored his colleague andheaded goalwards with defenders backing off.The striker turned the ball onto his favoured right foot and blasted home from 18-yards for a thoroughly deserved equaliser.

With the game entering its closing stages substitute Matt Done almost curled home the winner from the right side of the box but 'keeper Bogdan clawed the ball away.

It finished 1-1 and perhaps the result was a fair reflection of the game, but as the Dale boss said in his summing up it was a good test for his side and there can be no doubt his side passed, in more ways than one, with flying colours.

Att: 1833

Rochdale:

Josh Lillis, Scott Wiseman, Craig Dawson, Marcus Holness, Joe Widdowson, Jason Kennedy, Gary Jones, Brian Barry-Murphy, Joe hompson, Jean Louis Akpa Akpro, Chris O'Grady.
Subs:Alan Goodall, Matt Edwards, Dean Morgan, Daniel O'Donnell, Matt Done, Matt Flynn, Reece Gray.

Bolton Wanderers:
Adam Bogdan, Gretar Steinsson, Andy O'Brien, Chris Basham, Jlloyd Samuel, Sean Davies, Stuart Holden, Tamir Cohen, Robbie Blake, Danny Ward, Johan Elmander.

Subs: Rob Lainton, Sam Ricketts, Fabrice Muamba, Joey O'Brien, Matty Taylor, Martin Petrov, Mark Davies, Mustpha Riga