A controversial handball decision against Nathan Stanton handed Port Vale a scrappy opening-day draw.
Marc Richards calmly slotted home the subsequent penalty to secure a point his side had looked unlikely to claim.
Joe Thompson saw a header cleared off the line for the visitors before Chris Martin saved Chris Dagnall's shot.
Thompson nodded in a cross from Will Buckley to open the scoring but a Lee Collins centre struck Stanton's arm to hand the hosts a lifeline.
Port Vale manager Micky Adams told BBC Radio Stoke: "Was there a gulf between the teams? I think so.
"You saw a Rochdale side that have been put together by Keith [Hill] and come together very nicely.
"But we hung in there, we had to at times, and generally I'm very pleased with everybody."
Live text and stats
Saturday, 8 August 2009
League Two
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Time
Port Vale
1-1
Rochdale
FT
(HT 0-0)
Richards (pen) 75
Thompson 66
Port Vale
12 Martin
02 Stockley (Lawrie 70)
05 McCombe
15 Collins
16 Owen
03 Taylor
04 Griffith (Fraser 70)
07 Loft
26 Taylor
09 Richards
28 Horsfield (Dodds 59)
Substitutes
32 Lloyd-Weston,
11 Yates,
10 Fraser,
14 Dodds,
21 Lawrie
Rochdale
01 Arthur
02 Wiseman
03 Kennedy
04 Stanton
26 Dawson
07 Kennedy
08 Jones
11 Rundle
15 Thompson
30 Buckley (Le Fondre 72)
09 Dagnall (Shaw 79)
Substitutes
21 Edwards,
31 Holness,
06 Toner,
24 Brown,
10 Le Fondre,
17 Shaw,
18 Higginbotham
Ref: WaughAtt: 6,158
PORT VALE
ROCHDALE
Possession
Port Vale44%
Rochdale56%
Attempts on target
Port Vale0
Rochdale4
Attempts off target
Port Vale1
Rochdale1
Corners
Port Vale7
Rochdale11
Fouls
Port Vale10
Rochdale6
Final Result
Full Time
90:00+4:12 The referee ends the match.
90:00+2:18 Outswinging corner taken left-footed by Adam Rundle from the left by-line to the near post.
90:00+1:05 Foul by Tommy Fraser on Gary Jones, free kick awarded. Free kick taken by Craig Dawson.
88:09 Outswinging corner taken right-footed by Tommy Fraser, Craig Dawson manages to make a clearance.
86:44 Outswinging corner taken by Tommy Fraser from the right by-line played to the near post, clearance made by Nathan Stanton.
84:05 James Lawrie is caught offside. Direct free kick taken by Thomas Kennedy.
83:16 The referee gives a free kick against Jon Shaw for handball. John McCombe restarts play with the free kick.
78:58 Substitution Jon Shaw joins the action as a substitute, replacing Chris Dagnall.
74:22 GOAL - Marc Richards:Port Vale 1 - 1 Rochdale Marc Richards scores a placed penalty. Port Vale 1-1 Rochdale.
73:26 Thomas Kennedy is penalised for handball and concedes a .
71:53 Substitution Adam Le Fondre joins the action as a substitute, replacing William Buckley.
69:10 The assistant referee flags for offside against Marc Richards. Direct free kick taken by Kenny Arthur.
69:10 Substitution James Lawrie joins the action as a substitute, replacing Sam Stockley.
69:10 Substitution (Port Vale) makes a substitution, with Tommy Fraser coming on for Anthony Griffith.
69:10 Robert Taylor takes a outswinging corner.
67:26 Louis Dodds challenges Chris Dagnall unfairly and gives away a free kick. Thomas Kennedy restarts play with the free kick. Outswinging corner taken by William Buckley from the right by-line, John McCombe manages to make a clearance.
65:26 Assist by William Buckley.
65:26 GOAL - Joe Thompson:Port Vale 0 - 1 Rochdale Joe Thompson finds the back of the net with a headed goal from inside the six-yard box. Port Vale 0-1 Rochdale.
60:59 Joe Thompson gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Robert Taylor. Chris Martin takes the direct free kick.
58:38 Substitution Louis Dodds comes on in place of Geoff Horsfield.
57:52 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on William Buckley by John McCombe. Free kick crossed right-footed by Gary Jones, Anthony Griffith manages to make a clearance.
56:40 William Buckley takes the outswinging corner, John McCombe makes a clearance. Outswinging corner taken right-footed by William Buckley from the right by-line to the near post, Anthony Griffith manages to make a clearance.
55:39 Robert Taylor concedes a free kick for a foul on Joe Thompson. Joe Thompson takes the free kick.
54:56 Kris Taylor concedes a free kick for a foul on Joe Thompson. Gary Jones takes the free kick.
52:16 Corner taken left-footed by Adam Rundle to the near post, clearance by John McCombe. Inswinging corner taken right-footed by William Buckley.
48:34 Anthony Griffith concedes a free kick for a foul on Gary Jones. Nathan Stanton delivers the ball from the free kick right-footed from right channel, save by Chris Martin.
45:32 Unfair challenge on Anthony Griffith by Jason Kennedy results in a free kick. Kris Taylor crosses the ball in from the free kick.
45:01 The referee gets the second half underway.
Half Time
45:00+1:08 The ref blows to end the first period.
44:44 Robert Taylor takes a inswinging corner from the right by-line to the near post, clearance made by Nathan Stanton.
44:08 The assistant referee flags for offside against William Buckley. Chris Martin takes the free kick.
40:42 Kris Taylor takes the outswinging corner, Nathan Stanton manages to make a clearance.
38:09 Geoff Horsfield produces a right-footed shot from just outside the box that misses to the right of the net.
34:32 Chris Dagnall takes a shot. Save made by Chris Martin. Corner taken right-footed by William Buckley, clearance made by John McCombe.
33:58 William Buckley takes a outswinging corner to the near post, John McCombe manages to make a clearance.
29:52 Free kick awarded for a foul by John McCombe on William Buckley. Thomas Kennedy crosses the ball in from the free kick.
28:13 Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Kris Taylor.
25:18 Adam Rundle takes a shot. Chris Martin makes a brilliant save.
23:52 William Buckley takes a shot. Save by Chris Martin.
22:51 Robert Taylor takes the outswinging corner, Scott Wiseman manages to make a clearance.
22:04 Nathan Stanton gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Geoff Horsfield. The free kick is delivered left-footed by Kris Taylor from right channel, Gary Jones manages to make a clearance.
20:30 Foul by Doug Loft on Joe Thompson, free kick awarded. Craig Dawson takes the free kick.
15:59 William Buckley takes a outswinging corner from the right by-line played to the near post, Sam Stockley manages to make a clearance. Corner taken right-footed by William Buckley from the right by-line, clearance made by John McCombe. Doug Loft fouled by Chris Dagnall, the ref awards a free kick. Chris Martin takes the free kick.
15:18 John McCombe challenges Chris Dagnall unfairly and gives away a free kick. Craig Dawson takes the direct free kick.
13:55 The assistant referee flags for offside against William Buckley. Gareth Owen takes the free kick.
12:42 Chris Dagnall concedes a free kick for a foul on John McCombe. Lee Collins takes the direct free kick.
7:35 Inswinging corner taken left-footed by Adam Rundle from the right by-line, clearance made by Sam Stockley.
6:37 Marc Richards concedes a free kick for a foul on Craig Dawson. Free kick taken by Craig Dawson.
6:01 Gary Jones has an effort at goal from outside the penalty box missing to the wide right of the target.
3:21 Joe Thompson gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Doug Loft. The free kick is swung in right-footed by Lee Collins.
0:00 The referee gets the game started.
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