Despite a strong showing, two early goals proved too much of a mountain to climb for Dale’s Youth Team as they fell to a 3-1 defeat away at Walsall on Saturday.
A double from Cameron Peters inside the opening 12 minutes of the match saw the Saddlers open up a two goal advantage, before they added a third through Maziar Kouhyar in the second half.
Callum Schorah grabbed Rochdale’s consolation in a game where Dale were left to rue missed opportunities.
Dale XI: Wade, Coyne, Kisimba, Hollins, Schorah, Chea, Lenehan, Berry, Gillam, Mata. Subs: Evans, Prescott, Piggott, Price, Stewart.