A late goal condemned Dale to defeat in their final game of the decade, losing 1-0 at Gillingham.

Connor Ogilvie’s headed four minutes from time sealed the points for the hosts, whilst Dale ended the game with ten men following MJ Williams’ sending off.

Brian Barry-Murphy made four changes from the side that started against Fleetwood Town on Boxing Day, with Ollie Rathbone, Paul McShane, Tyler Magloire and Kwadwo Baah all starting.

Dale had the first attempt of the game when Jimmy Keohane fired well wide from distance, shortly before Mikael Mandran curled an effort well off target for the hosts.

He then tested Robert Sánchez for the first time after bringing the ball down well and firing on the turn, but the Dale stopper held comfortably.

Callum Camps had a fierce strike blocked at source after a flick on from Aaron Wilbraham, before the hosts hit the upright from a corner kick, when Connor Ogilvie’s flick hit the outside of the near post.

McShane, back in the starting line-up after an injury, put in a superb block on a shot from Oliver Lee, before the Gillingham man then fired a shot well wide after a lay off from a free-kick.

McShane was then replaced at the break by Matty Gillam, with Magloire moving into a central position after starting at right-back.

Dale came inches away from breaking the deadlock five minutes after the break, when Baah’s curling effort was just turned wide of the far post for a corner.

Rathbone fired an effort over and Camps saw a strike from distance comfortably held, before Mandran fired an effort straight at Sánchez who held well.

The hosts then struck the inside of the post when substitute Alex Jakubiak created half a yard for himself and saw the effort rebound out allowing Dale to clear.

Lee then sent an effort straight at Sánchez who did well to guide the ball away from danger, before Brandon Hanlan cannoned an effort off the underside of the bar which bounced back up off the line and was eventually headed over the bar by Eoghan O’Connell.

Sánchez then made a fine one-handed save to deny Hanlan, but Dale’s resolve was eventually broken with four minutes to go.

A cross into the area from the right side was headed into the air by O’Connell, and with Sánchez having come to claim it, when the ball fell for Ogilvie, he had an open net to nod into at the back-post.

Calvin Andrew, on as a substitute, headed wide from Gillam’s cross as Dale looked for a late equaliser, but after Williams saw red for two bookable offences in stoppage time, the game came to a close.