RED-HOT Danny Graham turned up the temperature on Blackburn Rovers’ pre-season by keeping up his perfect scoring run at a sweltering Spotland.

The striker grabbed his third goal in three games with a towering header that left Rochdale keeper Josh Lillis with no chance.

But it wasn’t enough to earn Rovers a victory, as former Ramsbottom United man Donal McDermott curled in a superb second-half free-kick to earn a share of the spoils.

Rovers boss Owen Coyle started with his two big summer signings paired together up front for the first time, Graham and Anthony Stokes at the head of a 4-4-2 formation.

West Ham loanee Stephen Hendrie slotted in at left-back, Liam Feeney on the right wing while young midfielder Jack Byrne was on the bench.

Graham had netted against SV Ried in Austria and Bury in Saturday’s three-team tournament at Morecambe, and he looked hungry again from the off.

But it was Rochdale who enjoyed most of the possession in the first 10 minutes.

Ian Henderson went the closest when he got on the end of McDermott’s cross from the right, but poked wide under pressure from Elliott Ward.

The breakthrough arrived on 11 minutes when Graham kept up that scoring habit he has happily settled into since making his move to Ewood Park permanent last month.

After a corner from the right was cleared, Elliott Bennett set in a cross from the same flank and the former Sunderland man rose highest at the far post to guide his header back across Lillis and into the net.

The next danger moment for Lillis arrived when Scott Wharton found himself upfield and his shot drew a decent save.

Rovers maintained their pressure and Bennett tried his luck from 25 yards but cleared the bar with a fizzing right-footer.

The pendulum then swung back in the home side’s favour and McDermott was their best option, looking to raid down the right flank.

He moved inside to find space and sent a shot wide of Steele’s far post before almost playing Henderson in with a through-ball.

Coyle’s men were having to absorb some pressure and the manager rose from the bench a couple of times to get his players further up the pitch.

They had another scare, though, when Dale right-back Joe Rafferty got to the byline and fired in a low cross that Ward did well to put behind for a corner. From the flag-kick, centre-half Niall Canavan headed over the top.

Graham always looked threatening at the other end and the best move of the half saw him play a great one-two with Stokes before curling in a low shot that Lillis got down well to keep out.

Stokes lingered in the danger zone and saw his shot deflected over, before again looking for the target when he side-footed Lowe’s right-wing cross straight at Lillis.

Coyle brought on Byrne for Darragh Lenihan at half-time, with Danny Guthrie replacing Feeney.

That meant the young Irishman tucked in behind Graham, with Stokes moving out to the left and Bennett switching to the right in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

Wharton was lurking with intent in the box as Rovers looked for a second, and he almost connected with Bennett’s cross.

Stokes was starting to find his feet and covered a lot of ground in search of the ball and the action.

His raking pass sent Bennett clear down the right but his cross was off target.

Dale’s equaliser was a stunning set-piece from the left foot of dangerman McDermott, who curled a cracking free-kick into the far top corner from just outside the box.

He tried his luck again a minute later with a 20-yard stinger that the Rovers keeper did well to keep out with his shoulder.

Graham’s work was done after 80 minutes when he was replaced by youngster John O’Sullivan, as Coyle also gave Adam Henley and Jack Doyle a run-out.

Stokes screwed a free-kick over late on, but Rovers had to settle for a draw.