There's something very ace about pre-season trips. Obviously there's no pressure of needing a result, it's a cheap enough day out and it gets us back into the swing of things in preparation for the proper stuff. The tunes in the car were superb, the banter was amusing, the pre-match boozer was quality with at least one fit barmaid and a few too many Mickey mousers getting battered at pool by young Tomlinson. Then we went and endured a rather poor match although it was tempting to stay in the pub!

Add to that the fact we were joined at the game by a load of people in fancy dress staging a demonstration to try and get Paul Suthers home from a Southport hospital back to Rochdale. We had the two Spidermen, the blonde bird from Abba, a nun and one guy who we assumed was dressed up to look like Babyshambles front man and Kate Moss's fella (I do still wonder what the hell is going on there) Pete Doherty. The rather amusing thing was that this chap was that drunk at the game that he fell asleep in a "col_rochdaleafc.com stylee" and wasn't even woken by balloons being popped in his face thus making his impersonation that bit more realistic!

Anyway, I suppose I'd better get on with reporting on the game.

Dale suffered their first defeat of pre-season in a match they should really have won comfortably but a lack of sharpness up front meant that despite the better chances and many openings created, there was no-one there to tuck them away.

As predicted, the team was changed from the one that beat Rossendale 1-0 on Wednesday night with Perkins and Jones replacing Doolan and Crooks and Dagnall replacing Higginbotham.

Rochdale started off well enough and should have been given a penalty after a few minutes when Adam Le Fondre was clearly brought down in the box but the referee, to my amazement, waved play on.

Another poor showing from the officials saw Dave Flitcroft get quite animated on the touch line when Simon Ramsden was clearly fouled over by the touchline and the linesman didn't award the free kick. Flickers screamed over in his direction his the fact that he should have seen it as he was only two yards away.

Dale knocked the ball around nicely and looked quite comfortable at the back with Nathan D'Laryea (or DairyLea as he's become known now) looking quite impressive alongside Rory McArdle. Gary Jones and David Perkins were looking more involved than Doolan and Crooks were on Wednesday with the captain getting stuck in at every opportunity.

We looked to create as many chances as possible and most of the Dale attacks broke from out wide with trialist Jerome Watt (or Terry as Razzle named him on Wednesday) and Ben Muirhead getting down the wings and getting balls into the box but Daggers and Alfie failed to capitalise.

Speaking of Razzle, he came out with one moment of magic which had me laughing for some time and it's still amusing me as I think about it now. If you don't know R17ALE, he's one of the grumpiest blokes you could ever meet despite being this side of 40 but he has the ability to come out with the funniest rants you can think of and upon seeing an advertising boarding stating that the funfair was in Southport soon, he stated that fairs were not fun and that "Fun is over-rated."

Dale were left with half chances really as the Southport defence looked strong. Gary Jones shot over the bar after good work from Le Fondre while Dagnall curled an effort just wide as did Ben Muirhead following a long run down the right.

With half time nearly upon us, we conceded a sloppy goal to make it 1-0 to Southport. Simon Ramsden was beaten very easily down the left wing by Neil Prince who then put in an inch perfect cross for Tony Gray to head over though the marking left a lot to be desired.

Hilly started the second half with the same team in the hope to get back into the game but it just didn't happen. Alfie and Daggers went close again, this time Alfie forced a good save from the very impressive Whiteside in the Southport goal.

A few subs were made by Dale as Crooks replaced McArdle, Prendergast replaced Jerome "Terry" Watt, Doolan replaced Kennedy meaning Perkins went to left back and 16 year old Will Buckley replaced Dagnall. Shortly after that Higginbotham and Brown replaced Le Fondre and Dairylea with Ramsden going to centre half.

Perkins didn't look at all comfortable at left back and the second Southport goal came because of a mistake from the Perkolater as he missed a ball played down the left thus letting Southport sub Mark Houghton in to cross for another Southport sub in Tony Evans to finish past Spencer.

Dale finished the game stronger as Higginbotham headed over from a Buckley cross and Prendergast shot wide but Dale just couldn't score and the game finished 2-0 to Southport as we headed home to begin a night on the lash.

Next up are the BIFFO's on Tuesday night.