In our final run out of the pre-season, Dale eased their way to a 2-1 Victory over Victoria at Victoria Stadium with goals coming from Adam Le Fondre and Glenn Murray who clearly sees himself as a modern day Ricky Villa.

Well what can you say? Paul Tait hasn't got any better, they scored, we scored and then we scored again to win. Job done.

This was Dale's first visit to Northwich's new stadium, and to be honest, it's a bit on the odd side. Not bad odd, just odd odd. For a start, it looks like they've took the entire side terrace from their old ground and transported all the way to this new place. They've got a very good stand down the opposite side, but behind the goals there is just tarmacced areas with no rise at all. And with the ground tucked away in a far corner of an industrial estate, there's the nuclear power station behind one end of the ground.

And a word of warning if Peterborough ever make it into town, as there's plenty of opportunities for supporters to invade the pitch if need be.

There was a decent number of Dale fans who had the short journey into Cheshire for this game, yet we were given an early blow to the proceedings, when we saw that dreaded thing - a drum. There's something very non league about drums, but it got worse. The drum was used to accompany a song in tribute to our former striker: Paul Tait, Tait, Tait. Wrong. Very, very wrong.

We lined up with what looks like being our starting line up for Peterboro. No real surprises at all, but the suggestion would seem like Hill is working on the basis of Crooks taking his place in the centre of defence alongside McArdle,

There's not a right lot to say about the game. First half had Dale having the bulk of possession, but thwarted from getting on the scoresheet. As has been the case throughout pre-season, Le Fondre was the pick of the Dale players causing all sorts of problems to the Vics defence.

But it was the home side who took the lead, and they did so in pretty spectacular circumstances. The ball was played back by Super Kev to his fellow ginger Chris Williams who fired the ball into the back of the net from about thirty yards out. Top effort and deservedly got applause from all quarters of the ground.

But it was a lead which lasted for seconds as Dale went straight down the other end and equalised. In a moment of brilliance, Chris Dagnall fooled the keeper by scissor kicking the ball to Le Fondre who nudged the ball over the line. Or it was a short by Dagnall which was going way off target before hitting Le Fondre and going over the line. Believe what you like.

Half time saw mass substitutions, with only David Perkins, Lee Crooks and Jamie Spencer retaining their places for the second half. Not a right lot happened, or maybe pre-season fatigue has set in so I just didn't notice anything. The drumming had stopped thankfully as the home support remembered it was just a friendly.

The only point of note in the second half came with the winning goal. Glenn Murray seemed to suddenly get possessed by the spirit of Ricky Villa. Or at least he would have done had Villa been dead. In the Northwich box, he seemed to beat every player at least twice, turning, twisting, jinking his way through before finally finding himself face to face with the Northwich keeper.

And with a build up of such quality, it was only right that it had a finish worthy of it. And Murray from three yards out, decided to chip the keeper. Magnificent.

And then the rest of the game was played out, Taity got subbed and we all trooped off back to our cars. Pre-season is over.

Photo: Action Images via Reuters