An awful performance saw Dale easily beaten by Hull City by three goals to nil at Spotland and it could have been more.

The team news came through from Twitter about an hour before kick off and it was a debut for Arsenal loannee Tolaji Bola while Gavin Bazunu returned from international duty to take the gloves. Jimmy Ryan came into midfield as Dooley was dropped to the bench. Dale lined up with Gavin Bazunu in net, "goal machine" Jimmy Keohane at right back with Eoghan O'Connell partnering Paul McShane at centre back. McShane had been labelled doubtful by Kevin Gibbins yesterday so to have him in the side was a bonus but with McNulty not in the squad, maybe we had no choice. In midfield were Aaron Morley, Jimmy Ryan, Matty Lund and Ollie Rathbone while Newby played off Jake Beasley. The bench was looking a little stronger with Jay Lynch, Ryan McLaughlin, Joe Dunne, Harrison Hopper, Stephen Dooley, Matt Done and Fabio Tavares taking the subs bibs.

The first chance of the game fell to former Sunderland man George Honeyman who found himself free in the box having been laid off by Wilks but his effort was over the bar from 12 yards when he should have done better.

The away side started bossing the game and Docherty had a shot deflected out for a corner which was followed soon after by a shot that narrowly missed the post despite the deflection. A goal looked like it was coming and that's exactly what happened.

With just less than 20 minutes gone, Hull took a fully deserved lead. A corner was swung in and Malik Wilks outjumped Keohane towards the back stick and powered a header past Bazunu to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead. Far far too easy that.

The pressure continued as Wilks went close again with a shot that was deflected before Jimmy Ryan gave the ball away to Burke who blasted a shot over the bar.

Dale finally managed to create their first opportunity of the game on 26 minutes. A freekick was awarded after some brilliant play from O'Connell resulted in a foul. Newby stepped up from around 25 yards and his shot was poor but was deflected for a corner. It was never troubling Ingram in the Hull net. A couple of corners followed and the second corner created Dale's best chance of the game. Jake Beesley was left with a free header and he made a right mess of it and it flies harmlessly wide. We made a point on the podcast that Beesley is getting into decent positions but that was another great chance to get off the mark and he couldn't take it. Awful miss.

Hull spent most of the summer, it seemed, chasing Ollie Rathbone but they must have been left wondering why going off that first half. A poor performance from the midfielder with practically every ball he attempted being over hit and wasted. Even simple five yard balls.

Dale were having a bit more possession than in recent weeks but didn't look like doing anything with it and at times it looked like men v boys out there.

A late half chance for Tolaji Bola who did have a decent first half with the exception of a couple of poor crosses, was easily dealt with and Dale went into the break 1-0 down and could count themselves lucky it was only 1-0.

We lack creativity so much it hurts and we need someone who can take their chances and until Humphrys is back, we just don't have anyone.

The second half got under way and Hull almost doubled their lead with Lewis-Potter went through and forced Bazunu into a very good save. The resulting corner somehow evaded everyone!

Morley had been dropping so deep, he was practically playing at left back in a sort of quarterback role. Whatever it was it didn't work as he just gave the ball away on repeat.

Jimmy Ryan looked like he'd been fouled by Docherty but the referee played on and Docherty blazed his shot way over the bar.

With just 53 minutes gone, Dale were forced into a substitution when Paul McShane, who had been a doubt before today, was taken off injured and Ryan McLaughlin came on for him but went to right back with Keohane moving central.

Just a couple of minutes later and Jimmy Ryan was taken off as well, with Stephen Dooley replacing him. Ryan had missed last week and managed 60 minutes for the reserves this week.

O'Connell was turned, a little too easily by Lewis-Potter who hit his effort way over the bar but the skipper was still playing better than everyone else, just not for the reasons he's in the team. He'd been Dale's best player in the middle of the pitch with his runs forward and one such occasion saw him play in Newby who square to Morley who smashed it narrowly over from the edge of the box.

With 66 minutes gone, Jake Beesley went into the book for what looked like a great challenge but resulting free kick almost saw Hull go ahead with a Honeyman ball into the box finding a Hull player and the header was saved despite the liner giving the goalkick.

Some good work from Newby on the right saw him chip a ball to Lund but he completely mishit his effort and that summed up Dale's afternoon really.

Hull manager Grant McCann took exception to the refereeing performance and found himself yellow carded but he was a lot happier just moments later as Malik Wilks put Hull 2-0 up. More poor defending saw a cross come in from the right and Wilks connected on the half volley to fire past Bazunu. Nothing at all less than what Hull deserved.

Literally about 90 seconds later, 2 became 3 as a good cross wasn't defended again and this time it was Magennis who got on the end of a good Honeyman cross and made it 3-0. Another example of Dale conceding goals in quick succession.

Just a little more than ten minutes were left when Morley did really well to block Wilks and prevented him from getting his hattrick and he did the same a couple of minutes later. This was as easy and one sided as you can get.

Matt Done made his 250th appearance when he came on for Matt Lund who had just been booked with five minutes left.

O'Connell went on another run and did brilliantly to find Newby who hit a left footed effort which was easy for the keeper to collect.

It finished 3-0 and I won't dance around it, Dale were bloody awful. We don't create anywhere near enough, we don't defend well enough as a unit and the two players we rely on in the middle of the pitch to create, simply give the ball away far too much. Oh and the chances we do create never look like they're going to be taken.

We're a young side, but this is a bottom half League Two side at best.

Player Ratings:

Gavin Bazunu - 6 (Conceded three, not sure he could have done much better with any of them)

Jimmy Keohane - 6 (Beaten too easily for the first goal but steady otherwise)

EOGHAN O'CONNELL - 7 (Our best player but not for his defensive role)

Paul McShane - 6 (Did alright till going off injured)

Tolaji Bola - 6 (Tough debut but did ok first half, caught offside too often and his crosses were too easily dealt with)

Aaron Morley - 5 (Gives the ball away so often it hurts)

Jimmy Ryan - 5 (Struggled, gave the ball away too much)

Matt Lund - 6 (Did at least get stuck in)

Ollie Rathbone - 4 (Really poor in possession, miles better than what he's shown today)

Alex Newby - 6 (Tried to create at least)

Jake Beesley - 6 (Needs to take the chances he gets but worked hard and held the ball up well)

Subs:

Ryan McLaughlin - 6 (Did ok apart from one wayward ball)
Stephen Dooley - 5 (Not convinced he touched it)
Matt Done - 5 (Certain he didn't touch it but was only on 5 minutes)

Photo: Action Images

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