Rochdale fell to a 1-0 defeat at home to Carlisle United on Saturday, as John-Kymani Gordon’s early goal proved to be the difference between the two sides.

Ian Henderson had a late header ruled out for offside, in the match at the Crown Oil Arena. 

There were four changes to the side that lined-up against Hartlepool United last weekend. New loan signings Owen Dodgson and D’Mani Mellor, who joined the club on Friday, came straight into the eleven, whilst Jim McNulty and James Ball also started, replacing the suspended Ethan Ebanks-Landell, Cameron John, Abraham Odoh and Ian Henderson.

In a scrappy but hard-fought first half, Carlisle United netted an early goal after hitting Dale on the break. After D’Mani Mellor had a ball in towards the near post turned away, Kristian Dennis sent Gordon on his way up the middle, and despite the best efforts of Max Taylor who tried to match run, he couldn’t get there and the Carlisle forward finished beyond Jake Eastwood. 

Dennis then fired wide of the area before having a header held from a free-kick into the box. 

Either side of the half hour mark, Devante Rodney was in twice. Tomas Holy firstly kept out his shot on the turn before comfortably holding a cushioned effort. 

Manager Jim Bentley was forced into his first substitution of the game with five minutes of the half remaining, when Liam Kelly couldn’t continue due to injury and was replaced by Toumani Diagouraga. 

The second half followed in much the same manner, with little in the way of goal mouth action during the early exchanges. 

The Cumbrians' Callum Guy struck wide from 25-yards shortly after the break, whilst Rodney had an appeal for a penalty turned down ten minutes into the half after being upended inside the area. 

A triple substitution came in the 73rd minute, with Henderson, Scott Quigley and Odoh replacing Rodney, Danny Lloyd and McNulty. 

And the changes had immediate impact, as Henderson found Odoh who stung the palms of Holy with a ferocious strike from 20-yards. 

Dale had more urgency about them after the changes and continued in search of an equaliser during the closing stages. 

Quigley, under pressure, managed to get a shot away on the edge of the area but hit over the bar with a shot that was always rising as he was bundled over. 

A fourth substitution followed, as James Ball made way for Tyrese Sinclair. 

There was late drama as Henderson had a goal ruled out with two minutes remaining. From Jimmy Keohane’s free-kick, Quigley headed the ball back into the mix and Henderson nodded home. As the celebrations ensued, deliberations around offside continued, with the referee eventually disallowing the goal after a long wait.

As Rochdale threw everything at the visitors in stoppage time, Sinclair had a thunderous strike blocked, and, ultimately, Dale couldn’t find an equaliser.