The Youth Team were held to a 1-1 draw at Tranmere Rovers on Saturday in the EFL Youth Alliance League.
James Neild’s header put Dale ahead inside the opening 15 minutes, but an equaliser from James Devine with 13 minutes remaining pegged Dale back.
Fabio Tavares had the opening chance of the game for Dale, but he sent a shot on the turn just wide of the far post.
Dale had goalkeeper Brad Wade to thank for keeping the scores level when he made two saves within a minute.
The first was a relatively simple one when Bailey Thompson’s shot was blocked by Joe Renner and was comfortable for Wade.
However, he produced a fingertip save to his right when Mathew Moreton’s effort from outside the area took a deflected, with Wade turning round the post for a corner.
It proved a vital stop, as Dale broke the deadlock just two minutes later.
Aaron Morley’s free-kick was headed skywards by a Tranmere defender and dropped at the far post, where Neild rose highest to nod home from close range.
Dan Adshead and Tavares saw efforts blocked as Dale looked for a follow-up second goal, and Nathaniel Appiah fired over the crossbar from a tight angle after superb work to break into the area.
Another Morley set-piece caused problems in the Tranmere area and allowed Neild to get a shot off, which was blocked into the path of Renner whose weak effort was held by the home goalkeeper.
Adshead was in the right place at the right time from a Tranmere corner kick when he headed an effort off the line, shortly before setting-up a chance for Florent Hoti with a backheel, but the midfielder’s curling effort flew wide, as did Morley’s whipped free-kick from 30-yards.
Goalkeeper Wade and some poor finishing ensured Dale were ahead going into the break. He saved with his legs from Devine’s effort, and Thompson’s follow-up from close range somehow went over the crossbar.
The second period was one of few shots on goal, as Dale struggled to test the home goalkeeper despite some good build-up play.
Hoti was one of those to force Patrick Wharton into a save, his strike from the edge of the area being held well.
A superb break forward almost created a chance for Dale when Lewis Bradley found Adshead down the right, but his cross was well defended away as Neil Kuemo looked set to pounce.
The equaliser for the hosts came from a set-piece. The referee blew for a handball against Dale on the right channel, and the free-kick was sent in to the near post where Devine stole a march on Kuemo to finish beyond Wade.
Dale had more of the game as full-time approached, with a Hoti header going well over and a powerless Kuemo header being comfortably held by Wharton.
However, the final chance fell to the hosts when a ball over the top was latched on to by Thompson, but Wade saved well with his legs before collecting at the second attempt, to preserve the draw and the point.