Terry Gornell will the serve the first of a three match ban this weekend, ruling him out of the trip to Aldershot Town.
The on-loan Shrewsbury Town striker was handed the suspension after picking up a straight red card in the defeat to Exeter City last Saturday.
Gornell’s suspension will mean at least one enforced change for Dale for the encounter at Recreation Ground, and Manager John Coleman admits it’s a blow: “Terry has been our best player in the last two games and he knows what he has done is stupid. He’s taken a smack in the face and he has flicked out his foot. He’s apologised to the player and he’s apologised to me."