Dale drew 1-1 at Walsall in the Wayne Evans Memorial Match on Friday night.
Devante Rodney had Jimmy McNulty’s men deservedly ahead at the break, before Isaac Hutchinson equalised with ten minutes left in the second period.
Louie Moulden started in goal, with Jimmy Keohane, Ethan Ebanks-Landell, George Nevett and Cameron John making up the back four. Adam Clayton and Harvey Gilmour started centrally, with Tyrese Sinclair and new signing Mikey Afuye out wide. Kairo Mitchell and Devante Rodney partnered up top.
Dale started brightly, seeing a lot of the ball, and creating a couple of chances, as Afuye saw a well-struck effort deflected behind and Sinclair also had an effort blocked.
Walsall’s Isaac Hutchinson and Dale’s Mitchell had efforts from the edge of the area deflected narrowly wide before Rodney broke the deadlock shortly before the half hour mark.
Sinclair clipped a ball towards Mitchell inside the area, who brought it under control and laid off to Rodney on the edge of the area. He cushioned it first time, slotting in the bottom corner, for his second in as many pre-season outings.
Dale almost added to the scoreline on a number of occasions before the break. Keohane forced the trialist goalkeeper into a fine fingertip save, as he turned his effort from the edge of the area over the bar.
He was then equal to Sinclair’s acrobatic effort, before denying the same Dale man a moment later with another fingertip save, diverting over the bar from 20-yards.
The final chance of the opening period fell to the hosts, but Moulden saved well with his legs from Hutchinson’s one-on-one effort.
After the break, former Dale loanee Donervon Daniels headed over, before John made an incredible last-ditch tackle to deny Freddie Draper, who had rounded Moulden and looked set to tap home into an empty net.
The Dale goalkeeper then made a fine save from Hutchinson, who looked certain to turn home a low cross before Moulden flew across to his right to get behind the effort and hold.
Taylor Allen fizzed a long-range effort narrowly off target, before the hosts did level, when Hutchinson picked up on a loose pass out by Moulden, curling home first time from 25-yards.
It was the final action of the game, which will be remembered for both clubs coming together to celebrate the life of Evo.
Dale XI | Moulden, Keohane (73’ Oduroh), John, Ebanks-Landell (79’ Taylor), Nevett, Clayton (69’ Johnson), Gilmour (87’ Trialist), Sinclair, Afuye (79’ O Kelly), Mitchell (87’ Ehimamiegho), Rodney (73’ Henderson).
Unused Subs | B Kelly, Dos Santos.