Dale take on Stockport in first home friendly

Reporter: Jan Harwood
Date online: 22/07/2008

Rochdale face the side that beat them in the League Two play-off final tonight as Stockport travel to Spotland for Dale's first pre-season friendly on home soil.

When asked why Dale were facing the side that condemned them to another season of League Two football so soon after that fateful day at Wembley, Keith Hill said that the decision was out of his hands, suggesting that he is none to happy to be facing County.

Hill also said, however, that the game would provide a stern test for his side and give them an opportunity to get some more minutes on the football pitch, which is what pre-season friendlies are all about. The Dale boss was also hoping that his defenders and goalkeeper, Sam Russell, would be given more to do after they were left untested in Dale's comfortable victory over Rossendale at the weekend.

After Saturday's game it seems that Hill is not a fan of the hoards of substitutions that usually mar most friendly matches, with ten of his eleven starters given the full ninety minutes at Dark Lane. That policy should mean that some of the players that were not seen at Rossendale will be given a run-out this evening, so Dale fans can expect to see the likes of Chris Dagnall, Ben Muirhead, Gary Jones, Simon Ramsden, Nathan Stanton and Nathan D'Laryea in action.

The game kicks of at 7.30pm and entrance into the seated parts of the ground costing £12, while entry to the Sandy Lane terrace is £10, with concessions getting in for £6 and £5 respectively.