It was a scoreline that many weren't expecting at half time with the home side losing and the visitors enjoying some good spells with the ball,  de ja vu? You'd better believe it.

Rochdale's players and fans will have known exactly how Shrewsbury Town felt ten days ago as Grimsby, flattered by the result, beat Dale at Blundell Park for the first time in over 30 years.

The Dale boss Steve Parkin made one change to his starting line-up following the return of Warren Goodhind from injury in time to replace the suspended Gary Brown.

Following a frantic first ten minutes the game settled a little to produce a couple of chances on nine minutes.  The first foray into any area arrived by way of the home side after Parkinson burst through to fire a cross into the arms of Gilks.

From the keepers clearance Dale skipped down the flank and a cross from the right found the head of Grant Holt who steered his effort narrowly wide of the target.

With 15 minutes on the clock Town's Tom Newey tried his luck from distance latching onto a loose ball with a drive that was always rising and cleared the bar coming to rest amongst the Dale fans behind the goal.

Grimsby weren't having things their own way despite having the better of the early chances and Parkin's side crafted a superb opener on 27 minutes.

The goal arrived following good work by Dale's deadly duo of Grant Holt and Rickie Lambert.  They combined well to fire Parkin's side in front after Holt did well to beat his man wide of the left side of the box before delivering the ball to Lambert at the back stick, leaving him with the simple task of steering the ball home on volley.

From that moment on Grimsby took the game to Dale and Rob Jones from corner kicks proved dangerous with Gilks making one save and Clarke clearing one off the line.

As the half came to a close Tom Newey was next to keep Matt Gilks on his toes some minutes later with another shot on the charge, but the Dale 'keeper was well positioned to make a simple save.

Parkin's side started well in the second half playing much of the opening stages inside the Grimsby half.  Dale were out to cement their hold on the game, but sadly with the home side very much on the back foot they never really troubled Mildenhall in the Mariners goal.

Grimsby began to get more into the game on the hour and it was substitute Gary Cohen on 64 minutes that brought the second goal line clearance of the night for Rochdale, this time former Grimsby Town defender Tony Gallimore hacking clear.

Minutes later Grimsby did level matters after a superb run by Reddy opened up the Dale rear guard and his low cross was turned home by Town's Gary Jones at the near post.

It wasn't long before the home side made their continued pressure tell again and this time it was Cohen who made his header tell from close range following a corner on 69 minutes.

With the crowd backing the home side to the hilt and Dale's defence crumbling, near-miss expert Rob Jones finally got a goal only this time it was his foot following a goal mouth scramble before prodding home from close range.

To their credit Dale finished strongly and were unlucky not to have got one back after Gary Jones hit the underside of the bar with a solid header.

With Dale adding the pressure they were caught out after Reddy skipped round last defender Rory McArdle on the half-way line before taking the ball round Gilks and tucking the ball home thus nailing the Rochdale coffin firmly shut.

A bad day at the office, yes, but prizes aren't handed out in December and Parkin's players have to re-group for another tough encounter away at leaders Wycombe Wanderers on Saturday.