Goals from Ian Henderson and Tyrese Sinclair saw Dale run out 2-0 winners at Radcliffe FC in a pre-season friendly.
In a game which featured two separate outfield teams for each half, the game was 0-0 at the break, before the two goals after the break sealed the win for Jimmy McNulty’s men.
FIRST-HALF XI | B Kelly, Dunlop, Ferguson, Nevett, Keohane, Ehimamiegho, Johnson, Gilmour, Shubbar, Rodney, Mitchell.
Dale began brightly with some fine build-up play leading to Devante Rodney firing narrowly wide of the far post.
Moe Shubbar was inches away from breaking the deadlock a minute later. He cut inside from the left and saw an effort deflected off the far post. The rebound fell quickly for second-year scholar Darren Ehimamiegho, who fired over first time.
Shubbar then produced a fine save from Radcliffe stopper Mateusz Hewelt, when he tipped the Dale man’s dipping effort over for a corner.
After the half hour mark, the goalkeeper was equal to Rodney’s curling effort from distance, whilst Dale stopper Brad Kelly made his first save of the game on the stroke of half-time, holding Jamie Morgan’s header comfortably.
SECOND-HALF XI | B Kelly, Oduroh, Taylor, Ebanks-Landell, John, Sinclair, Trialist A, Trialist B, O Kelly, Ball, Henderson.
McNulty sent out a different outfield ten, with only goalkeeper Kelly remaining from the first period.
The second-half team nearly broke deadlock inside two minutes, when Sinclair fired over first-time from James Ball’s pull-back.
Shortly before the hour mark, Dale did open the scoring. Sinclair got in down the right side and fired a low ball across the face of goal, where Henderson was on-hand to calmly tap home from close range.
Brad Kelly was called into action a couple of times for Dale, first holding Matt Sargent’s effort from range, before Anthony Dudley had three efforts in a row – one blocked, one saved and one headed onto the roof of the net.
Just minutes later, Dale doubled the lead. First-year scholar Oscar Kelly broke down the left and drove into the area, before firing a low ball to the far post where Sinclair slid home from a yard out.
Sinclair hit a well-struck free-kick narrowly off target, whilst Dudley and Scott Duxbury sent efforts wide at the other end.
Oscar Kelly continued to impress and beat two defenders to get in on goal, seeing a shot saved from a tight angle.
Henderson had a shot blocked after a nice one-two with Sinclair in what proved to be the final action of the game.
Dale are next in action at Chorley on Saturday.
