Dale started off the new millennium with a 3-2 defeat up at the Victoria Park in Hartlepool. However if they continue to put up performances like this, then we'll be needing a bigger stadium before the end of the season due to all the extra supporters we'll be attracting. Put simply, this was a fantastic match with both teams contributing fully to the game. Both teams played exciting and attacking football, and it was perhaps a surprise that there was only five goals scored. I would be very much surprised if there is a better game played in this division this season. It was a surprise that this game was such a classic given the fact that the pitch resembled the muddy car park behind the away end, and a referee who was blatantly incompetent.

This was a big crowd at Hartlepool for this match with Dale taking about 400-500 fans. For the first time in living memory, the ground looked full for this fixture. Both teams' recent upsurge in form had obviously had the desired effect, and it was great to see Dale fans filling the away end. All those who turned up certainly got value for money as it was no exaggeration in saying what a great match this was.

Dale went into the game with the same side that started against Shrewsbury last Tuesday. Clive Platt was still unavailable which meant Lancashire and Ellis were continuing up front together.

The game started with all the enthusiasm that the match had generated, and it began in the way it would continue. Hartlepool were very much a long ball side, playing the classic style of booting the ball towards the corner flags, for their speedy forwards to run on to. To be fair, their style, although very direct, could not be considered negative and it proved to be very effective for them. They caused us many problems with this tactic, as they have to other teams in this division this season.

Both teams were keen to get an early mark on the game, and it was the home side who took the first blood. Hartlepool were on one of their typical attacks which led to a scramble in the box. Hill and Evans both dived in for the ball in the deep mud. The ball sort of got stuck between the two of them, and Flitcroft dived in their to try and scramble the ball away after Hartlepool had flooded the box with forwards. The referee somehow saw this incident as a penalty. It must have been fantastic vision to spot whatever he felt deserved the penalty, as no one else in the ground saw anything, including the Hartlepool players and fans, none of who appealed. Following much complaints from Dave Flitcroft and company, Tommy Miller stepped up to put the home side in front with a well taken penalty.

Spurned on by the travelling army, the Dale players refused to let their heads drop, and were soon up the other end searching for an equaliser. There was a strong contrast between the styles of both teams, but it worked for each of them. Despite Dale's possession, Hartlepool were still dangerous on the break, and Hartlepool's Gary Jones was causing all sorts of problems by out running the Dale defence, forcing Neil Edwards to scramble out of his goal on a few occasions.

However, Dale deservedly got back into the match following a great passing move. Graham Lancashire grabbed the ball on the right hand wing and broke into the box. From a very tight angle he put the ball goalwards to equalise for Dale. The goal was credited to one of the Hartlepool defenders who must have got the final touch.

The rest of the half was played out with both teams keen to get themselves in front. Neither side looked very comfortable at the back with the forwards very much on top. Hartlepool had a couple of late chances due to set pieces. The first came when their right winger went down clutching his face after a challenge by Dean Stokes who had his arms straight down right in front of the linesman who kept his flag very much down. The referee ruled that there was a case of obstruction and gave an indirect free kick. He did not book the Hartlepool player for his blatant attempt to get Dean Stokes in trouble with the officials. Fortunately nothing came of the free kick. The second set piece came on the other side of the pitch. The ball was kicked at Wayne Evans's hand. It was very much a case of ball to hand. Evans was well inside the penalty box, and I felt that the referee bottled it and he gave a free kick outside of the box. Fortunately, this again came to nothing.

After a blistering first half, the second was to prove even more exciting for the supporters. Dale started slightly better, but within ten minutes, they looked well out of the game. Hartlepool regained the lead with a goal as direct as you can get. Keeper Martin Hollund took a goal kick which went straight to Tommy Miller down the left hand wing, who outstripped Wayne Evans for pace, breaking into the box, before firing the ball past Neil Edwards.

Minutes later it was three-one following a scramble in the Dale penalty area. Dale managed to block two or three goal bound attempts before Jamie Taylor lookalike Ian Clark got the final touch.

They say it aint over till the fat lady sings, but the atmosphere in the away end suggested that Jo Brand was doing Karaoke. However, an immediate double substitution changed things round. Enter Tony Ford MBE, and Chris Bettney for Wayne Evans and Graeme Atkinson respectively. Dale soon had Hartlepool on the back foot, and it was just a matter of time before Dale grabbed a comeback goal. The Dale players were playing the ball with confidence and ability, and they were subjecting the home defence to one or two problems. The ball was crossed over to Tony Ellis who bundled the ball over the line. This woke up the masses in the away end, and anything could have happened from hereon in.

Unfortunately, it was not to be. Graham Lancashire blew a great chance seconds after Ellis's goal, when he broke through the home defence but saw his shot rebound off keeper Hollund. That man Hollund got in the way again minutes later, when Dave Bayliss attempted a volley from the edge of the box, but saw his effort tipped wide.

Both sides looked capable of scoring, but the defences managed to get back on top for the last few minutes. As Dale committed players forward, holes appeared at the back, and could have conceded a fourth had it not been for some last gasp tackles. Dale could have got an equaliser, but the clock got the better of us, as the referee blew for full time.

There were so many positives to come out of this game, and on this performance, both sides look well capable of being there at the end of the season. A draw would have been a fairer result, especially considering the farcical penalty at the start of the match. Regular readers will know that I tend not to criticise referees, but this one was just not up to the job, and he knew it. It was a game which had everything, and provoked memories of those Liverpool vs Newcastle 4-3's. We would have beaten most of the teams in the division on this performance. A truly great game. Just a shame we had to lose it.

Dale: Edwards, Evans (Ford MBE), Stokes, Bayliss, Hill, Flitcroft, Jones, Peake, Atkinson (Bettney), Ellis, Lancashire.

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