Rochdale hosted newly promoted League One side Port Vale at the Crown Oil Arena on Saturday, in Dale’s final pre-season friendly of the summer.
The Valiants were 3-2 winners.
Jimmy Keohane and Ian Henderson put Rochdale 2-0 up within the opening 15 minutes, before the visitors halved the deficit sixty seconds later through Jamie Proctor who netted from the spot. He scored again after the break, before Funso Ojo hit home in spectacular fashion to win it.
Early on, the hosts were denied by the woodwork, with Ben Garrity’s header from a corner coming crashing off the post before James Ball cleared away the danger.
Up the other end, Devante Rodney met a ball out to the right and drove forward, sending an inviting ball across the face of goal. Valiant goalkeeper Aidan Stone was alert and gathered as Ian Henderson came rushing in.
Moments later, in the 11th minute, Dale broke the deadlock. There was some brilliant work by Rodney to keep the pressure on a Port Vale defender and after outmuscling him, he showed great composure to pull the ball back for Jimmy Keohane to sweep home into the bottom corner.
Mal Benning fired a volley wide of the near post from 20-yards, before Rochdale doubled their advantage sixty second later. From a quick flowing move forward, Cameron John put a low ball into the area and Henderson got a touch on it to finish beyond Stone.
A minute later, the Valiants halved the deficit. The referee adjudged that Richard O’Donnell had brought down Tommy McDermott inside the area and Jamie Proctor netted the resulting penalty.
Keohane’s game was cut short just after the half hour due to an ankle problem and he was replaced by Aidy White.
Dale finished the half really strongly and both White and Ethan Ebanks-Landell came close to extending Rochdale’s lead.
Femi Seriki broke into the area after being played in by Henderson and sent a low ball into the area. Substitute White came charging in and came within inches of turning it home.
On the stroke of half-time, Ebanks-Landell met John’s floated corner but he was kept out by a fine Stone save.
Vale netted twice before the hour to turn the game on its head.
Proctor levelled the scoring with a superb header after latching onto a ball in from the right, while Funso Ojo put the Valiants ahead in stunning fashion. He unleashed a rocket from 35-yards, firing into the top corner.
Sam Graham and Tyrse Sinclair replaced Max Taylor and Henderson in the 61st minute, before three more substitutions followed ten minutes later, with Liam Kelly, Siriki and Rodney making way for Ethan Brierley, Abraham Odoh and Luke Charman.
Soon after his introduction, Brierley had a powerful cross/ shot parried behind for a corner.
Four minutes from time, Jim McNulty and Oscar Kelly replaced Ebanks-Landell and James Ball.
Dale XI | O’Donnell, Seriki, Taylor, Ebanks-Landell, L Kelly, Ball, Rodney, Keohane, Diagourago, John, Henderson. Subs: B Kelly, White, McNulty, Charman, Odoh, Brierley, Graham, Sinclair, Watts, O Kelly.