With the eyes of the World's media on this game to see new boys Cheltenham playe their first game, Dale didn't disappoint by spoiling the party to inflict a convincing victory over the Robins at their own ground.

With the eyes of the World's media on this game to see new boys Cheltenham playe their first game, Dale didn't disappoint by spoiling the party to inflict a convincing victory over the Robins at their own ground.

A good win away from home saw Dale get into the promotion places and it looks a great place to launch their championship challenge from. We are equal top with just 45 games left to go.

Yes, it is a bit early to get carried away, but let's just be happy with what we have achieved. The last three seasons have seen us lose the opening fixture. We have also struggled to win away in the Barrow years. Not this year. Dale turned up and totally spoiled the party as they dominated the game, beating the Conference champions. In many ways, this will be one of Dale's hardest matches of the season. We were up against the unknown in the promoted non-league club, turning up on their celebration day in front of a big home crowd. Fortunately, Dale were having none of this and completed a very professional task in beating the opposition on their own patch.

There was a good crowd present, with a fantastic away support. The threat of sky watchers causing traffic jams had not put off the Dale fans, and there were many Dale fans present, who had not been in years in the eight hundred or so making the trip down the M5.

Dale started with the expected line up and it was the away fans making all the noise. Dale were quite nervous in the first ten minutes as they tried to make out their opposition, but the home side showed little to worry Dale. Dale soon settled and controlled the match, and all Cheltenham could offer was hopeful long balls. A parallel was immediately drawn with 98-99 Dale.

Big Bruno was the first of either side to trouble a keeper when he controlled the ball on the edge of the box, turning and firing the ball goalwards, only to see the keeper make a decent save to prevent the first goal.

But Dale were to get onto the scoresheet twice before the half was out, and both goals finished off great passing moves. New signing Graeme Atkinson, who finished the season with relegated Scarboro, scored the first. Lancashire put in an inch perfect cross which Atko volleyed home to send the travelling Blue Army into ecstasy. The goal was celebrated by the players doing press ups in the centre circle. Bizarre.

After this Dale were very much on top, and the home team could do nothing to counter this. The Dale fans were cheering every Dale touch at one point as Dale had one flowing move with over 20 Dale touches without reply.

The second killer goal came after about forty minutes. Again it was a lovely move. This time Atkinson was the provider, and after beating the full back, he crossed for Tony Ford to head home at the near post.

Dave Bayliss came very close to making it three just before half time. A Dale attack was cleared but only to the edge of the box, and Bayliss was at hand to curl the ball goalwards. The ball hit the corner of the crossbar and post and rebounded out. It looked to have crossed the line, but I suppose from the opposite end of the pitch, I didn't have the best view. The rebound was almost headed in but the ball was eventually cleared.

The second half saw Dale sit back on their lead, but looked very comfortable with it, and were always on the lookout for opportunities to attack. Cheltenham stepped up a gear and had some decent chances to get back into the match. The first saw ex Northampton player Neil Grayson free in the box with a clean shot on goal available to him. Somehow Dean Stokes produced a wonder tackle just as he was about to shoot. The second saw a Cheltenham forward have a free header inside the six yard box, but his effort went straight to the untroubled Neil Edwards who didn't have to move to save the tame effort. Their third and final effort saw an attacker completely miskick the shot and put it yards wide to much laughter. Dale attacked when given the opportunity, but holding on to the two goal lead was number one priority.

So Dale held on to their two goal lead with some comfort, and they could have got a third in the last few minutes. Holt and new signing Clive Platt, who will not be available on Tuesday, came on for the last five minutes. It was not long before Platt got stuck in. Chasing a ball into a one on one with the home keeper Book, Platt stuck out a leg, but clearly made no contact with the home keeper. When the keeper's clearance went out of play, he dived to the floor like he'd been attacked by Freddy Krueger. There was no point for his acting performance as the game had gone by then, and there was no previous between them. This was an example of the non-league attitude shown throughout the day. The home fans were great throughout the day. But the home players' attitudes were a disgrace. Neil Edwards was twice kicked in the head, and Bruno was deliberately tripped by Lee Howells as he was substituted. The ref did nothing to extinguish the amateurish showing by the home side. One home steward was much the same as he rushed to chuck out an innocent Dale fan trampling all over a nine year old boy in the process. Fortunately the young lad just received minor bruising to his leg.

Nevertheless, ignoring all of that, this was three points and a great start to the season. Former manager Graham Barrow used to stress the importance of a good start to the season, though he was unable to do so. Boss Steve Parkin has done that, in a fine performance. So great, it prompted a streaker from the Dale terrace.

This was not a lucky performance either. Having seen the pre-season matches we are capable of bigger and better things. I wrote after the Burnley match that we struggled against a physical long ball side, well we had no problems today when faced with a similar pospect.

And just remember, were it not for goal difference, we'd be top of the league!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dale: Edwards, Evans, Bayliss, Hill, Stokes, Ford, Flitcroft, Peake, Atkinson, Lancashire, Morris
subs Holt and Platt for Lancashire and Morris
subs not used Carden, Jones, Priestley

Dale man of the match: Dave Flitcroft. A great performance which even saw him tackle the home sides mascot before the match. Followed closely by Tony Ford who defied his years throughout.

Photo: Action Images

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