Dale ran out 2-0 winners in a behind-closed-doors pre-season friendly at Tranmere Rovers on Tuesday.
Tyrese Sinclair and Devante Rodney scored either side of the break to secure the win.
Brad Kelly started in goal, and he had to make a couple of regulation stops in the opening stages, comfortably dealing with efforts from outside the area.
Kwaku Oduroh, Ethan Ebanks-Landell, Max Taylor and Cameron John made up the back four, with Adam Clayton and Cody Johnson in midfield. Sinclair and James Ball were wide with Ian Henderson and Kairo Mitchell up top.
The hosts had a goal disallowed for offside before Dale took the lead shortly before the half hour mark.
Jimmy McNulty’s men won the ball high up the pitch before Sinclair was brought down in the area by Jordan Turnbull, who was sent off.
Sinclair stepped up and converted the resulting spot kick, finding the bottom corner.
He was then replaced by a Trialist, who tested the goalkeeper minutes after coming on with an effort from 20-yards.
Dale saw more of the ball following the sending off and looked comfortable, with substitutions being made in and around the hour mark.
Louie Moulden replaced Kelly in goal, with Clayton, Oduroh, Ebanks-Landell, John, Taylor, Henderson and Mitchell making way for Harvey Gilmour, Jimmy Keohane, Kyle Ferguson, Kevin Dos Santos, George Nevett, Oscar Kelly and Rodney.
The latter doubled Dale’s lead with 15 minutes to go. Kelly showed quick feet to get past his man on the left and slide the ball inside to Gilmour. He squared to Rodney in the area who beat his defender and fired in at the near post.
Ball and Johnson were replaced by John Dunlop and Darren Ehimamiegho straight after the goal although Dale did finish with ten men themselves when Ferguson picked up a knock ten minutes from time.
Our next friendly now sees us travel to Walsall on Friday night, for the Wayne Evans Memorial Match.
Dale XI | B Kelly (57’ Moulden), Oduroh (63’ Keohane), John (69’ Nevett), Ebanks-Landell (63’ Ferguson), Taylor (69’ Dos Santos), Clayton (57’ Gilmour), Johnson (75’ Dunlop), Sinclair (30’ Trialist), Ball (75’ Ehimamiegho), Henderson (69’ O Kelly), Mitchell (63’ Rodney).
