The big question was: How will Dale cope following the loss of Gary Jones?

The Dale team answered in almost triumphant style with a fine performance which came so close to bringing back all three points back to Spotland. Full match report now online.

For the neutral, a Hartlepool v Dale game must seem about as inspiring as a night out in Cleethorpes, but for anyone who has seen this particular encounter in the past few seasons, will see this as regularly one of the most exciting games of the season. End to end football, with both sides having plenty of chances, and some excellent individual displays.

This was a big game for both teams. Hartlepool had shaken off their traditional poor start to the season, and went into the game on the back of four successive league wins and they looked like a team full of confidence. They had previously beaten the much fancied Hull 4-0 at the Vic, and the not very fancied Halifax in the previous games.

For Dale, it was a case of how would survive the latest blow to have affected the Rochdale AFC promotion bandwagon, which has coughed and spluttered in the last two or three weeks. In many ways, this game had an air about it not too dissimilar to the post Parkin match at Bristol Rovers.

The home team had the "biggish" names of Gordon Watson and Ritchie Humphries up front. Watson joined the Monkey Hangers on a free transfer following an injury hit spell at Bradford City. Humphries was the much hyped striker who had a great start to his career at Sheffield Wednesday before fading rapidly. They also had winger Paul Smith who famously came close to joining Dale in the Summer on a free transfer from Burnley, but never got round to telling us that he wasn't signing.

Dale went into the game with just the one obvious change following the departure of Gary Jones to Barnsley. In his place came new loan signing Darren Dunning. The diminutive midfielder slotted into the place of Jonah in an otherwise unchanged line up.

The first half had a drifting wind which was just about behind Hartlepool as they attacked the Ice Rink end containing the 300 or so Dale fans (BTW has anyone ever seen an Ice Rink here?), who were more vocal  than in recent games. But that's vodka for ya!

During the first half, the home team were firmly on top as they continued their fine form of recent weeks. Striker Gordon Watson, whose career was almost ended by a tackle by Huddersfield's Kevin Gray many moons ago, looked a class act and spent his time between causing problems to the Dale defence and bantering with the Dale supporters behind the goal.

For a long while, it seemed that it would just be a matter of time before the home side took the lead, but they hadn't banked on the form of Neil Edwards. This place has special memories for Taffy following one of the finest performances in a Dale shirt a few seasons ago in the Graham Barrow era a few games into his Dale career. Whilst tonight's showing from Edwards didn't match that particular one, it was one of his best displays for a couple of seasons where he looked almost unbeatable.

Humphries had the first real effort of the game and it was one of the few occasions where they got the better of Edwards, but his shot spinned across the goalmouth, before narrowly edging past the right side of the post in what looked almost slow motion.

Taffy's finest moment came in a spell about thirty minutes into the game, when he pulled off a fantastic triple save. A long range effort from Tommy Widdrington was saved well by Edwards before rebounding to the very much offside Gordon Watson, but his close range effort was saved well by Edwards, with the linesman's flag fluttering in the North East air, not that anyone had noticed. The ball eventually came crashing back in, but Edwards was taking no chances and he pushed the ball wide, earning a standing ovation in the process.

To say the first half was one way traffic didn't do justice to Dale who certainly made a match of the game with a few decent chances of their own. Durkan had a long range effort from a free kick saved well by Williams, along with a few other half chances.

Half time: Hartlepool 0 Dale 0

Dunno what happened at half time, but whatever it was it worked. Dale came out for the second half, and were a team possessed, taking the game to the home side. Dale came out very much on top, and produced a display as good as any we have seen all season.

It was full of passion, pace, great passing and desire, and it was just what we needed.. The first effort went the way of Paul Connor, who was put clear through. He didn't have a great deal of time on the ball, but he saw his quickly took shot saved well by the outstretched Williams (who looked to have robbed Edwards' Welsh flag at half time), after he tried to push it past him.

The big difference between Dale in the first half and the second half was the form of Matt Doughty, who ran the home side (and himself) ragged in the second half with a fantastic display. He had the beating of the Pools right back time and again, and he put over some superb balls in the process.

One time, he even found himself in the clear, after beating three or four players, but a last ditch tackle saw him lose the ball at the edge of the box. Not to be outdone, he soon set up the Dale goal. He was put into the clear following a great ball from Clive Platt, producing an inch perfect cross which Michael Oliver headed down past the outstretched Tony Williams to put Dale in front.

If anything, it looked like Dale would be the most likely side to score again, as they continued to take the game to the home side. The visibly tiring Paul Connor was withdrawn in favour of Kevin Townson, but within seconds disaster struck.

It all stemmed from a very powerful shot, which needed the top draw tip over from Edwards. However, it was from the resultant corner from which Hartlepool got their all important equaliser. The ball was met by Hartlepool player Bass who headed the ball into the back of the net. It looked to me to be more of a header back into the mixer rather than a shot, but given that it was at the other end of the ground, there was perhaps a slight chance that it wasn't a typically, lucky jammy, against the run of play equaliser like every other goal we have conceded this season, and it may have been a decent finish.

It was pretty even after this, with both sides having half chances. Townson came close to scoring for Dale, when he forced down a Williams clearance but it rebounded off him and onto the top of the goals.

In the end, both teams had to settle for a point, and although both sets of supporters will feel that they had done enough to sneak a win, no one will be too disappointed with the draw. It was a great game, and one in the eye for the doom merchants (of which I have been one) who thought that the departure of Jonah would mean the end of the season.

Again, the character that exists within the Dale squad shone through, and whoever takes over as the new Dale manager has got a great start in his new job.

It was a tough call to pick out any individuals for the man of the match, with some fine displays from Edwards, Jobson and Clive Platt, but I think I'd just give it to Matt Doughty, as it was his display which sparked Dale's second half display.

Photo: Action Images

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