Dale crashed 2-0 to a highly entertaining young United side, with first half goals coming from Febian Brandy and Northern Ireland international Corry Evans.

In a game that was less than inspiring at Spotland, for Dale supporters at least amongst the 2000 crowd, it was the visitors who ran the show with the Old Trafford youngsters putting in the sort of impressive display which won the plaudits following their previous visit earlier this year.

We started with a mixed side rather than putting out a potential starting eleven for Port Vale, with further substitutions happening throughout the evening, and the game at the very least will have answered one or two questions that Keith Hill had about his squad.

Absentees for Dale were injury victims Alfie, McArdle and Holness, and Clark Keltie. Other than that, if you had boots, you'd get a game. The trialists of Broomes, Woolfe and Gomez all started, and no doubt this game will have helped make any decision about whether the budget can be stretched enough to accomodate any of them.

The game saw United race to a 2-0 lead. The first goal came from Manchester born Febian Brandy, with the second coming from Corry Evans, brother of the more familiar Jonny Evans.

There wasn't a great deal of positives to take from the game, but once again the inclusion of Chris Beech's youngsters has suggested that the solution to budgetary problems may already be here. Not that you win anything kids. As our opponents have proved over and over again.

Dale: Arthur, Wiseman (Brown), Tom Kennedy (Brizzell), Broomes, Dawson (Stanton), Jason Kennedy (Flitcroft), Woolfe (Thompson), Jones (Byrne), Higginbotham (Dagnall), Gomez (Shaw), Rundle (Buckley)

United: Heaton, Gray (Moffatt), Simpson (Brown), De Laet, Gill, Evans (Ajose), Eikrem, Norwood, F. Brandy (King (R. Brandy)), Cleverley, Stuart, Dudgeon

Photo: Action Images

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