A first-half penalty meant our opponents took a 1-0 lead into half-time, before doubling it shortly after the break.
Ethan Ebanks-Landell pulled one back, but Al-Rayyan, featuring Serbian international Aleksandar Mitrović up top, restored their two-goal cushion.
However, Harvey Gilmour’s strike from just outside the area and Ian Henderson’s close-range header saw Dale earn a very creditable 3-3 draw in the Murcia heat.
New goalkeeper Nils Ramming started between the sticks, with a central defensive pairing of Dan Moss and Laurence Maguire. Sam Beckwith started at left back, with Corey Edwards on the opposite side of a back four.
Casey Pettit and Ryan East, sporting the captain’s armband, partnered in midfield. Bryant Bilongo played on the left, with Will Jenkins supporting Mani Dieseruvwe up top.
In hot and humid conditions, chances in the first-half were few and far between. Al-Rayyan’s opener came from the penalty spot, after Moss was adjudged to have brought down his man with a sliding challenge. Róger Guedes chose a Panenka-style penalty, which Ramming got a hand on, but couldn’t keep out.
Unfortunately, minutes later, Ramming was forced off through injury, with Trialist B coming on to replace him for the remainder of the game.
Head Coach Ian Watson made eight changes at the break. There was a new look back four of Tobi Adebayo-Rowling, Ethan Ebanks-Landell, Ed Francis and Edwards. Gilmour and Jenkins were paired in the middle, with Cian Hayes on the right and a front two of Ian Henderson and Devante Rodney.
Dale fell two behind just minutes after the restart, though, when Gilmour’s wayward pass found its way into the back of the net.
Watson’s men responded well, pulling one back in the 63rd minute, when Ebanks-Landell rose highest to nod home Francis’ delivery from a free-kick.
11 minutes later, Al-Rayyan bagged a third, through Brazilian winger Wesley, who cut inside and fired into the near post area from outside the area.
Gilmour replied with a great finish of his own, though, taking the ball on the half-turn and whipping a left-footed shot into the bottom corner, again from outside the area.
And the comeback was complete six minutes later, through 41-year-old Henderson. Francis’ delivery again proved problematic for Al-Rayyan, with Ebanks-Landell’s looping up towards the goalkeeper. A mix-up between him and a defender led to the ball falling for Henderson, who, as usual, was in the right place at the right time to nod home.
The full-time whistle sounded with a display of mutual appreciation between the players, staff and supporters who joined us in Spain.
First-half XI | Ramming (17’ Trialist B), Edwards, Moss, Maguire, Beckwith, Trialist A, Pettit, East ©, Bilongo, Jenkins, Dieseruvwe.
Second-half XI | Trialist B, Adebayo-Rowling, Ebanks-Landell, Francis, Edwards (72’ Bilongo), Hayes, Gilmour, Jenkins (72’ Moss), Trialist A, Henderson, Rodney.
Dale goals | 63’ Ebanks-Landell, 76’ Gilmour, 82’ Henderson.
Al-Rayyan goals | 12’ Roger, 47’ Own Goal, 74’ Wesley.
