Keith Hill's Rochdale's side put disasterous Derby Days behind them by securing all three points away at Grimsby Town on Friday evening.  Rochdale started the game very brightly and opened the scoring on 12 minutes after former Bury man Tom Newey clattered Kelvin Lomax wide on the right.  The resulting freekick swung in visciously by Adam Rundle was met with a glancing header by Adam Le Fondre at the near post and flew past Barnes into the net.

Sadly the goal only seemed to inspire the home side who began to get back into the game and a mistake by David Perkins allowed them to do just that.  New loan signing Shaleum Logan took the ball forward at pace having dispossessed the strangely hesitant Perkins and smashed a low left footed shot past James Spencer after a delightful one-two with Peter Till.

Rochdale weren't without chances and Le Fondre will be wondering how he managed to smash a volley over the bar from close range following another quality ball from Rundle out wide.  His cross just evaded Glenn Murray but dropped onto the foot of the former Stockport County man and with the goal at his mercy he blazed over from close range.

Just before the break Dale boss Keith Hill's horrendous injury list was extended after John Doolan limped off with a hamstring injury and was replaced by Oldham Athletic loanee Marcus Holness prompting a quick reshuffle to play out the remaining three minutes or so.

Rochdale got the second half under way  but it was the home side who looked the stronger in the early stages with Isaiah Rankin proving troublesome.  It was his run with five minutes of the half gone that brought a chance for Grimsby's Gary Jones, but his shot was well saved by Spencer. 5 minutes earlier Spencer had also done very well to beat out a low Tom Newey effort after a good lay off by Rankin.

With 58 minutes played Adam Rundle supplied his second assist of the evening, this after good work by Perkins and LeFondre he esacaped down the left and produced a great cross for Glenn Murray who buried a towering header past Phil Barnes to give Dale the lead once more.

In stark contrast to the first half the goal seemed to breathe a little more life into Hill's side, defending well and attacking dangerously. looking better balanced since the enforced change just before the break.

Former Dale manager Alan Buckley rang the changes making his three changes in quick succesion and a change in formation with a three pronged attack backed by a three man midfield.  In fairness it worked to some extent with Logan appearing from the shadows to show a little of the form he had in the first half, but without the energy from Rankin Grimsby's attack's were best described as powder-puff.

For a while it became scrappy but that too suited the visitors with the big home crowd becoming restless at their side's performance. In truth the 'keepers didn't have a great deal to do until the final whistle but a special mention must be made to Dale's Gary Jones who was inspirational in midfield , Adam Rundle on the wing providing excellent crosses all night. and another towering performance at the back by Man of the Match Rory McArdle.