Bury 3 - 0 Rochdale

A Rochdale team of trialists and youngsters went down 3-0 to a full strength Bury side at Gigg Lane this evening in the penultimate pre-season friendly before the season starts.

Keith Hill opted to take a look a look at more trialists this evening as he named a side to take on neighbours Bury on a warm evening at Gigg Lane.

Six players looking to earn a contract started in the purple shirts of Rochdale, with the other 5 players being made up of youth team and fringe players.

Defender Jacob Rowe was Birmingham City’s academy player of the season 2 years ago whilst Jamie Sheldon is also a product of the blues academy.

Tyrone Amory was released by Derby County recently.

Dean Morgan, Alan Goodall & Matty Done have already played in Dale colours as they vie for a contract.

New signing Jack Redshaw started, which was a pleasing sight after seeing the former Manchester City striker limp out of the game at Rossendale last week.

Shakers boss Alan Knill named what is likely to be his starting 11 come the opening day of their League 2 season against Port Vale.

The makeshift Rochdale XI started brightly in the East Lancashire sunshine with some crisp passing, which although pleasing on the eye lacked any penetration, with Cameron Belford in the Shakers goal not really tested in the opening period.

Redshaw saw a 25 yard free kick sail over the bar was the closest either team came in the opening 10 minutes.

A stray Goodall pass found former Dale striker Andy Bishop who’s 35 yard effort was wayward to say the least.

The home side were showing signs that their game was coming together when Peter Sweeney came close to opening the deadlock when he stung the hands of Edwards in the Dale goal with a sweet strike from 25 yards after Byrne had only partially cleared.

The opening goal came just moments later after Dale captain Matt Flynn made a real hash of a simple clearance and when the ball fell to Andy Haworth, the former Dale loanee made no mistake in smashing the ball home from inside the box with a crisp strike.

The Dale heads seemed to drop after going behind and when the experienced Goodall failed to clear, Worrall fired in a 20 yard volley that tested Edwards.

The Young Dale stopper was again called into action after Lowe fed a delightful through ball for Worrall but the winger could only lift the ball tamely towards goal and the danger was smothered.

It was one way traffic as the game struck the half hour mark and Worrell again called Edwards into the game with a fierce shot straight into his mid-rift but Edwards could do nothing 60 seconds later when Haworth put a teasing right wing cross over and Bishop rose the highest to glance the ball inside the far post to make it 2-0.

Dale’s Dean Morgan tried to reduce the deficit on the stroke of half time but his free-kick was off target.

Keith Hill’s side started the second period as they started the first with Morgan calling Belford into the game for the first real Dale effort on target.

The game became a little more open as both sides started to make changes, including Rochdale assistant manager (and former Dale and Bury player) Dave Flitcroft having a run out in the centre of midfield.

Another Dale change was youngster, Helio Andre, who impressed in the first pre-season game against Rossendale, and the former Liverpool Boys player was causing trouble again with his speed and trickery although when he was put through by Morgan he was a inches away from connecting.

With the composing figure of Flitcroft now in the midfield, the Dale XI started to create space for each other but Done’s cross for Redshaw was too high.

The diminutive striker again tried his luck from a set piece but again fired over the bar.

Redshaw’s tiny frame hide’s a fiery character which came to the fore when he clashed with Bury trialist Phil Picken after a crunching challenge had won the ball for Rochdale.

As the game petered out Matt Flynn cleared a Bury header off the line but the final goal action went the home side’s way. Substitute Mike Jones picked up a loose cross field pass and bore down on goal and after riding a challenge by Flynn he strolled past Lawrie Bell before hitting a scuffed shot past a rooted Matt Edwards for 3-0.

It was a comfortable win in the end for Bury with the Dale XI never really troubling the Bury back line.

Rochdale boss Keith Hill said after the game: “The lads who played against Bolton also played against Fleetwood and two 90 minute games in a week at this stage of pre-season is enough, so if I’m being honest the team selection tonight was the only option I had as I have to try and avoid overkill and look at the opening game against Hartlepool.

"It was a good opportunity to take a look at the youngsters and trialists. They will be able to take a good look at themselves as there was a few bright performances and a few disappointing performances.

"I apologise to the Dale fans who have turned up this evening but I had to sacrifice this match.

"We have brought Anthony Elding into the club today and if I can get a central defender and another midfielder along with maybe the acquisition of Alan Goodall and Matty Done then I think that might be enough, but then we may have to utilise the loan market.

"We won’t panic, we want quality as this season in League One will be difficult but it’s still pre-season, I’m happy with the way things are going, I’m not too down beat about tonight. I’ve learnt a lot about the trialists and the youngsters.”

 

Bury: Belford, Picken (T), Skarz, Futcher, Sweeney, Worrall, Schumacher, Bishop, Haworth, Lowe, Sodje
Subs (all used) Carlton, John-Lewis (T), M Jones, Bennett (T), Mozika (T), Cherel (T), Branagan, A Jones, Rothwell, Harrop

Rochdale: Matt Edwards, Chris Brown (Luke Watson 61), Alan Goodall (T), Matt Flynn, Jacob Rowe (T), Callum Byrne (David Flitcroft 52), Jamie Sheldon (T) (Lawrie Bell 52), Tyrone Amory (T) (Helio Andre 53), Dean Morgan (T), Jack Redshaw, Matt Done (T) (Reece Gray 70)

(T = Trialist)

Att: 1585 (409 from Rochdale)