Rochdale 1, City 1

The picture is becoming ever clearer. With just a week remaining until the big kick-off, City shed the experimental look of early pre-season to provide a proper insight into how Peter Taylor’s side are shaping up.

On paper, the visit to League One outfit Rochdale was their toughest test of the summer, yet it still provided firm grounds for optimism.

For the most part, City appeared to be a cohesive, well-drilled unit, particularly in defence, while still offering enough at the opposite end to keep the hosts on their toes.

In the second half, much of that threat involved striker Louis Moult, who claimed a deserved goal on his debut just a day after completing a long-term loan move from Stoke.

But once Chris O’Grady had grabbed an equaliser for Rochdale, City still had Jon McLaughlin to thank for salvaging the draw.

The Bantams goalkeeper added to his burgeoning collection of penalty saves with an impressive stop to deny O’Grady from 12 yards.

Taylor said: “We got a lot of benefit out of it. We didn’t create a load of chances or have a lot of the ball but for defensive reasons it was a really good workout because Rochdale are such a good football team.

“We got some good things out of it and I’m delighted we got a goal for young Louis and we had a couple of other good chances as well.

“Louis is a clever footballer and a good finisher and Scotty Neilson played him in with a really good ball. There were certainly some pluses and overall I’m very pleased.”

City made a lively start, with the bustling, enthusiastic Neilson making a particular nuisance of himself as much of the probing took place down the right.

Ironically though, the first genuine opening came from the opposite flank.

When Lee Bullock slipped the ball in to Robbie Threlfall, the defence seemed to part right in front of him and the left back did not need a second invitation, his sweetly struck 20-yard effort only kept out by the fingertips of Josh Lillis.

Neilson did get in on the act belatedly, pouncing on a loose pass from the hosts to feed Gareth Evans, the frontman dragging his shot wide of the target.

Opting for the patient approach, Rochdale initially offered only a fleeting goal threat, unable to break down the visitors as City settled into a disciplined 4-5-1 on defence.

But the more they played the waiting game, the more the Lancastrians found their rhythm.

Jason Kennedy tested McLaughlin with a couple of fizzing long-range efforts but the best chance fell to O’Grady, a former City loan player.

Picked out inside the box after good work by Joe Widdowson, the Dale hitman looked odds-on to score but his touch was less than clever, much to the relief of the City defence.

Rochdale continued to apply pressure immediately after the break but were punished in the 55th minute for their lack of real cutting edge.

Moments after Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro had headed over the bar, City countered with conviction and Neilson threaded a delightful ball down the right channel to Moult, who steadied himself before drilling into the far corner.

But the lead was surrendered ten minutes later, Akpro’s cross causing problems and allowing O’Grady to slot home after Zesh Rehman had blocked Joe Thompson’s initial effort.

Rochdale should have made it a quick-fire double when Lewis Hunt bundled Akpro over in the area but McLaughlin produced a stunning full-stretch save to keep out O’Grady’s spot-kick.

City actually had the better chances to steal victory late on, Hunt twice going close before Lillis produced an acrobatic stop to tip Tom Adeyemi’s last-minute shot over the bar.

City: McLaughlin (Elliott 76), Ramsden (Hunt 46), Rehman, Oliver (Duff 46), Threlfall (Harrison 76), Bullock, Adeyemi, O’Brien, Daley (Speight 46), Evans (Moult 46), Neilson. Attendance: 968.