Dale came from a goal down to earn a draw against Bournemouth at home. In a very dull game a Gareth Griffiths header was all Dale could muster.

What a frightfully boring game! So few chances for both sides, as defences seemingly came out on top, or was it just bad attacking play!?

Dale stuck with the same side that had drawn previously at Cambridge. A returning Simon Grand could only gain a place in the bench. Dale looked once again to Paddy McCourt to run the opposition ragged, and I'm sure the masses of scouts in attendance left Spotland tonight with some good thoughts on the youngster, as he was once again the best player on the pitch, not hard though given the poorness of the rest of the players!

The first half to put it frankly was terrible. Dale were second best to everything, and though Bournemouth's only goal was very dubious, it had been coming for a long time. In fact Dale only mustered their first shot in the dying seconds of the half, and that was well saved by the keeper.

Bournemouth took the lead following a free kick being awarded, for what most go down as the best dive of the season. The Cherries winger Danny Thomas ran past Duffy, who lunged in, completely missing Thomas and the ball by a good yard, only for (Bournemouth's answer to Onandi Lowe, Francis Jeffers and yours truly) Thomas to dive onto the ground as if snipered from the roof of the WMG!

The resulting free kick was swung in and Fletcher got a touch that guided the ball into the far corner of the net, giving keeper Gilks no chance at all.

The second half was a much more even affair, as Dale tried (sort of) to get into the game. After just four minutes of the second half the goal came. A Matt Doughty cross found its target in the box (shock no. 1) and Griffiths powered his header on target (shock no. 2) and despite the keeper getting a hand to it, the ball went into the top corner.

Paddy McCourt then finally got going, he danced into the box beating around 5 or 6 players, before dragging the ball agonisingly wide of the far post with his low shot from a tight angle. He also hit a weak free kick which was easily saved.

At the other end Bournemouth didn't really cause that many problems, Dale's defence looked for once quite solid, Gilks though was called upon to make a good save low down at his near post though towards the end.

Dale still searched for a winner, but it wasn't to be. Connor came on for Platt, but it didn't in truth make that much difference. A dangerous ball across the six yard box eluded everyone, and a Lee McEvilly free kick sailed into the Sandy Lane, almost decapitating the fans in the process.

In the end a draw was probably a fair result, Dale had the better of the chances, but the overall performance was less than satisfactory again. At least Paddy gave us a few runs for entertainment, but there just seemed overall to be a certain lack of effort and commitment to the cause from too many players. If Simpson is to stay, we need convincing better than this.

Photo: Action Images

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