The Youth Team recorded their first league win of the campaign on Tuesday, beating Fleetwood Town 3-2 at Bower Fold.
Goals from Florian Yonsian, Musambya Kisimba and Morgan Moreland secured the victory.
Rochdale opened up a comfortable 2-0 lead having started the game brightly, before the visitors halved the deficit just after the half hour mark. Fleetwood levelled the scoring in the 54th minute but Dale responded just three minutes later, netting the goal that would prove to be the winner.
The Youth Team were without a number of regulars for the match, with the likes of Daniel Adshead, Florent Hoti, Luke Matheson and Fabio Tavares with the first team. This provided opportunities for Morgan Moreland, Toby Phillips, Louis White and Yonsian.
And it was Yonsian who opened the scoring after just six minutes, perhaps doing Lewis Bradley out of goal in the process. After latching onto a brilliant diagonal ball, Bradley lobbed the goalkeeper with an effort that looked destined for the back of the net, but Yonsian made sure it crossed the line, as he nodded home from close range at the back post.
Before Dale doubled their advantage, Fleetwood headed wide from a ball to the back post and Bradley hit over from just inside the area.
Rochdale’s second came in the 23rd minute courtesy of Kisimba. After Bradley had kept a Kisimba ball across goal alive, he then sent a low delivery back across goal, and the forward finished from close range to extend Dale's lead.
The side continued to dominate and James Neild headed wide from a free-kick, before Kisimba forced the Cod Army goalkeeper into a save with an effort from distance, with the stopper diving to his left to palm away the shot.
As it looked like Rochdale could get to half time in complete control, the visitors halved the deficit on 31 minutes, curling a free-kick from 30-yards into the top corner of the net.
Before the half was out, Dale had chances to add a third. After a midfield battle, Phillips came away with the ball and fed in Moreland, who saw an effort from the edge of the area held by the Fleetwood goalkeeper. He was called into action again a short time later, keeping out a Yonsian shot on the turn at the near post.
HT | ROCHDALE 2-1 FLEETWOOD TOWN
Rochdale started the second half in the same manner they had the first and created an opportunity just 60 seconds after the break, but Hopper hit over the bar from the edge of the area.
Two minutes later and there was another chance for Dale. Bradley, in on goal, lifted the ball over the outrushing goalkeeper, aiming to get his effort in at the back post, but with it set to go wide, in came Kisimba and Moreland, but neither could get a decisive touch as the ‘keeper scrambled back.
The visitors were improved on their first half showing, though, and netted an equaliser in the 54th minute, when a ball across the face of goal was turned in at the post.
But being on level terms was short lived as Dale got their noses back in front just three minutes later. Yonsian was clattered on the edge of the area by the goalkeeper, who'd come off his line, and as the game was allowed to go on, Moreland struck into the vacant net.
On the hour, Wade was called into action to beat away a Fleetwood effort, before the ball flashed across the face of goal and wide, as the Cod Army's number 11, who was coming in at the back post, couldn't get a decisive touch.
James Neild forced the goalkeeper into a save, as he rose highest to meet a Dale free-kick into the area, before there were appeals for a Rochdale penalty when Kisimba was fouled inside the area. Unfortunately, there was nothing awarded.
The woodwork then stood in the way of Louis White adding his name to the score sheet, as his curling free-kick came crashing off the bar.
At the death, Yonsian had an effort charged down, and Bradley was kept out by the goalkeeper on the rebound.
FT | ROCHDALE 3-2 FLEETWOOD TOWN
Wade, Martin, Dunne, Hopper, Neild, White, Bradley, Phillips, Kisimba, Moreland (Claxton 69'), Yonsian. Subs not used: Piper, Clarkson, Hamzat.