Dale made the long trip to the South East coast and got a precious point for their troubles. However, it should really have been all three as Dale let their first half lead slip.

Dale made the long trip to the South East coast and got a precious point for their troubles. However, it should really have been all three as Dale let their first half lead slip. Ultimately, it was disappointment for those fans making the journey as they had to make do with just the single point.

 On paper, this was a good away point for Dale. With an away record as poor as ours is, anything that we pick up on our travels must surely be seen as a bonus. However, as has been this case of late, Dale should have done so much better. It was another of those one half performances, which we only seem capable of at the moment.

Dale started brightly enough and controlled the first half. It wasn't the most exciting half not by a long way, but Dale never really looked like they would concede a goal. For once, thankfully, Neil Edwards had a very quiet game and didn't have a lot to do, relatively. In the last two games, since GB introduced young Mark Williams, a recent acquisition from Tranmere, we look to be more balanced at the back, this even without Dean Stokes and Alan Johnson, who only made the bench.

Robbie Painter and Graham Lancashire looked fairly lively up front as Dale stuck with the 4-4-2 formation that defeated the Shrews the previous week. The break through came when Graham Lancashire put the ball over the Goalkeeper's head into the gaping goal from the left hand edge of the penalty box. This was a fantastic goal and must already be a favourite for Dale goal of the month for October. The rest of the first half was played out and the half time brought a few boos from the home supporters.

The second half started just as the first half finished with Dale firmly on top. However the turning point was just a couple of minutes away. Mark Monington had a goal disallowed when (I think) he was adjudged to have used a hand as he bundled the ball over the line. Jason Peake was pulled off by the manager, and after that Dale were on the backfoot for the rest of the game. Southend launched wave after wave of attacks, but despite not really threatening. Dale seemed very content to withstand this, but it very difficult to do this over a sustained period. Indeed, evidence has shown this season, that we cannot do it. The goal came when one of the Southend players blasted the ball into the net from outside the box. The game was played out as the weak Southend team tried to go for the win, whilst Dale held on.

This was a case of two points dropped, rather than one point gained. It seems strange that Southend were playing first division football just two years ago, as they were a very poor side indeed. Furthermore, on this evidence, they will not be far way from the relegation places again this season. Obviously, we are more concerned about whether Dale will be down there with them. Peake must have been injured. There could be no other logical reason for his withdrawal, but he seemed okay when he went off.

There was a reasonable Dale turnout down at Essex. However one fan sat near me had obviously had one too many before the game as he embarrassed both himself and those sat around him with his stupid comments directed at other Dale fans. I feel I have to apologise for him.

Dale : Edwards, Williams, Barlow, Hill, Monington, Jones, Diaz, Painter, Lancashire, Bryson, Peake. Subs: Leonard and Farrell.

Photo: Action Images

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