Barnsley began their pre-season friendlies with a victory at the Crown Oil Arena.
Life under Markus Schopp got off to a successful start on the pitch this afternoon with a 2-1 win at Rochdale.
First half goals from Carlton Morris and Liam Kitching in a dominant opening 45 for the Reds saw us to the ideal start against the Sky Bet League Two outfit.
A completely different outfield lineup took to the field after the break and in a much more competitive affair, the hosts struck back with a penalty to reduce the deficit.
The game was played on a wonderful surface and in warm sunshine behind-closed-doors, and Schopp's side quickly took control of proceedings, playing out from the back and using neat one-touch football.
Morris' opener came after a dozen minutes when he glanced home a powerful header from front post to back, expertly converting Cauley Woodrow's inch-perfect free-kick from the right flank.
The provider and goalscorer nearly swapped roles soon after as Morris surged forward 50 yards into the box before teeing up Woodrow but the captain's effort was saved well low down by the home 'keeper.
Our second goal arrived on 20 minutes and again stemmed from a set-play, as Woodrow worked a short one with Conor Chaplin on the left, with the latter dinking across a lovely ball that was met by Kitching at the far post who beat his marker under pressure to head home into the roof of the net.
With only Brad Collins surviving the raft of half-time changes, the game was much more evenly-contested after the interval, and Rochdale hit back with a penalty after a forward went down under the challenge of Jason Sraha.
George Miller was busy as a right wing-back and he put over some inviting crosses, with both Elliot Simoes and Cameron Thompson sending headers just wide.
Making his long-awaited comeback from injury, Ben Williams had an impressive 45 minutes, rampaging down the left wing and was unlucky not to be awarded his own spot kick when he was felled after beaten two men to surge into the hosts' box.
It was a decent first run-out for the players ahead of the new season, with the Reds next in action this Saturday coming, in a behind-closed-doors encounter with League One new boys Sheffield Wednesday.
ROCHDALE 1-2 REDS
1ST HALF XI: Collins, Brittain, Moon, Sibbick, Kitching, J.Williams, Styles, Palmer, Woodrow, Chaplin, Morris.
2ND HALF XI: Collins, Miller, Pache, Wolfe, Sraha, B.Williams, Ritzmaier, Simoes, Oduor, Thompson, Cole.
