A mixed Dale side earned a 2-1 victory away at Southport in what was the final game of the pre-season campaign with goals coming from Chris Dagnall and a returning Lee Thorpe. Report now online.

The conditions didn't help much at all, and contributed greatly to the game seeming like a bit of a non event at times. Despite the lovely sunshine that the game was played, the strong winds coming in from the coastline made it very difficult for anyone to get hold of the ball. Especially when trying to protect one's child.

It was very much a mixed side put out. We began with: Russell, Ramsden, Kennedy, Wiseman, Evans, Rothery, Keltie, Toner, Higginbotham, Le Fondre, Dagnall. Out of them, you'd expect no more than perhaps five of those to be starting at Grimsby next week.

We didn't cope at all well with the conditions. At the back we were at sixes, sevens and eights, with every ball going into the box seemingly causing problems for our back line as the home side attacked towards the Jimmy Carr stand in the first half.

And it was from such a blustery display that we went behind. The wind caused us problems and Southport took full advantage. A goal mouth scramble saw the ball tapped in at the back post. Moments later, Evans was withdrawn with D'Laryea was sent on.

That was pretty much it for the first half. We looked useful going forward, but were denied a couple of penalty shouts by a referee who seemed to implement a policy of always blow to the defending side at both ends. Guess its a pre-season thing.

Second half saw Dale get back on level terms within the opening stages. A cross by the ever lively Le Fondre saw Dagnall finish with ease at the back stick, and it spared some blushes if we were bothered enough by a pre-season game.

After that, there was a flurry of changes which included the return of Lee Thorpe after the world's deadest dead leg injury, coupled with his arm wrestling wound.

And it was Thorpe who got the winning goal as time ran out. With interest levels waning around the ground, with more concern about the portable hot tub that was being set up near the corner flag by one member of the Dale coaching staff, Thorpe popped up and grabbed us the winner.

He fired in from the right hand side edge of the box. Or the left hand side I guess if you were looking at it from the other way. 

And that was that, other than an opportunity for the Dale fans to applaud John Doolan as he left the pitch.

Roll on Grimsby.

Photo: Action Images

Queens Park Rangers Polls