PRE-SEASON games are well and good for developing the fitness levels required at this standard, but it still takes a few games for players to hone their sharpness.

The dead-eye instincts of attacking players, and strikers in particular, return soon enough once the season gets under way.

Had Dale been at their sharpest in front of goal on Saturday there is little doubt they would have returned from Blundell Park with all three points in the bag.

As it was, their finishing was not quite good enough to beat an inspired Phil Barnes in the Grimsby goal, but the visitors can take heart from the number of good chances they created.

Referee Pawson made several questionable decisions in the opening 15 minutes, and with both teams finding their feet it was a stop/start contest without a shot at goal, let alone on target.

The first effort heading in the right direction, a 25 yard piledriver from Gary Jones – making a club record 318th league appearance - was deflected over the bar by Tom Newey in the 16th minute.

Andy Taylor had a decent view of goal, but instead of shooting he opted for a short pass to Martin Butler, Rory McArdle quickly closing him down and blocking the shot.

Butler demonstrated the selfishness of a striker in the 20th minute when he tested Sam Russell from a tight angle with a ball to Taylor arguably the better option. Russell beat the shot away convincingly.

A terrific interchange of passes between Adam Le Fondre and Chris Dagnall opened Grimsby up in the 27th minute.

Le Fondre played a square ball across the area for his strike partner who glanced an effort goalward only to see Matthew Heywood stick out a leg and divert to safety.

Nathan Stanton prevented Butler seizing upon a decent cross from Peter Till with an excellent defensive header, and the rest of the half petered out without either goalkeeper being troubled.

The second period proved far livelier and more one-sided in Dale’s favour.

Le Fondre warmed Barnes’ hands with a well-struck effort while Butler went close at the other end with a left-footed shot and Till’s header from eight yards was volleyed off the line by Simon Ramsden.

Adam Rundle should have done better when he got on the end of a terrific break by Dale in the 52nd minute.

Jones picked up possession deep in his own half and the ball was played right to left via Keltie, Dagnall and Le Fondre to the left winger, but he pulled his shot wide of the near post to the frustration of the travelling contingent.

Rundle showed what he was capable of within seconds of that miss, a rasping drive from a central position forcing a decent save from Barnes.

The Grimsby goalkeeper went one better in the 55th minute.

A terrific touch by Jones in controlling a high ball into the area gave Dagnall a sight of goal. The striker opened up his body and shot towards the top corner only for Barnes to pull off a quite superb stop. He will make few better saves all season.

That man Rundle saw plenty of the ball, and he went close when he cut in from the flank, his shot sending the ball a whisker wide of the far post.

Though second best for long periods, Grimsby remained a threat with the game evenly poised.

McArdle saved Kennedy’s blushes when Danny North nicked the ball from him in an advanced position, the centre-half recovering the situation with a well-timed tackle.

Rundle’s low cross was almost turned into his own net by Richard Hope, while in the 70th minute, following a break up the left wing, Butler was presented with a great shooting chance but side-footed into Russell’s midriff.

Butler was quick to seize upon an error from the previously impressive Nathan Stanton when the defender miscued a ball out of defence. Butler strode forward and shot on target only for Russell to pull off a good stop.

Substitute Kallum Higginbotham was quickly involved when he entered the fray, laying a neat pass off to Kennedy whose cross evaded Le Fondre but was met by Dagnall seven yards from goal, Barnes once again frustrating Dale’s attempts.

Rundle ran rings around Stockdale late on but opted to shoot from the narrowest of angles with Dagnall hovering in the six-yard box, and come the final whistle, Grimsby were the more relieved team.

A point away from home represented a decent start for Dale, though one was left with the feeling that, had this contest taken place a few weeks into the campaign, Keith Hill’s men would have taken full advantage of the chances that came their way.

Grimsby Town: Barnes, Stockdale, Heywood, Hope, Newey, Hunt, Heslop, Llewellyn, Taylor (North 62), Butler (Bore 90), Till. Montgomery, Bennett, Hegarty

Rochdale: Russell, Ramsden, McArdle, Stanton, Kennedy, Wiseman (Higginbotham 75), Jones, Keltie, Rundle, Le Fondre (Thorpe 82), Dagnall Subs: Spencer, Toner, Lambert

Booked: Butler; Stanton, Keltie

Referee: CL Pawson

Att: 4,213 (696)