The Youth Team were beaten 1-0 at Shrewsbury Town in their opening game of the 2017/18 season.
After a goalless first half in which the hosts had the best chances, Dale came out strong in the second half and had chances of their own.
However, a fine strike from Josh Agbozo sealed victory for the hosts eleven minutes from time.
The first chance of the game fell Dale’s way, when Keith Kearney found Neil Kuemo with a ball down the left side. Kuemo drove into the area and rolled an inviting ball across the face of goal, but it was just too far in front of Tavares for a simple tap-in.
The hosts enjoyed a strong spell during the middle of the half. Only a superb flying block from Joe Renner denied Shrewsbury the opener, before a header from the resulting corner flew over the crossbar.
Josh Agbozo curled a free-kick off the top of the bar, before Dale stopper Morgan Piper produced a fine fingertip save to deny an effort from six yards, after a corner had bounced around the Dale area.
Piper was again called into action when Lifumpa Mwandwe broke into the Dale area, with the goalkeeper producing a good save with body one-on-one.
Dale fought their way back into the game towards the end of the half, with Daniel Adshead curling wide from the edge of the area. Kian Taylor had the final effort of the half deflected over for the hosts.
Harrison Hopper replaced James Neild at the break for Dale, and he got a vital block on a shot from Mwandwe early in the second half. The ball dropped on the edge of the six-yard box from a corner, and the Shrewsbury forward fired goalswards, only to see his effort deflected over.
There were two further subs for Dale just after the hour mark, with Florian Yonsian and Flo Hoti replacing Tavares and Elliott Murray.
Dale were on top as the game entered the final quarter, with Adshead curling over after good football had found him on the edge of the area.
He then almost found Kuemo inside the area after another good passing move, but the Shrewsbury defence managed to scramble clear a dangerous opening.
Eleven minutes from time though, the hosts broke the deadlock. A spell of pressure led to a shot from the edge of the area being superbly turned home on the volley by Agbozo.
It was harsh on Dale who had edged the second half up to that point. Aaron Morley fired over from 25 yards, as he tried to drag his side level.
The hosts were reduced to ten men when Agbozo was given a second yellow card for a push in the middle of the park, after being issued a first for a late challenge on Morley earlier in the second half.
The hosts had a couple of chances late on through counter attacks as Dale pushed on looking for an equaliser, but couldn’t quite create the chance that would earn them a point.
Dale XI: Piper, Appiah, Kearney, Neild, Ward, Renner, Murray, Morley, Tavares, Adshead, Kuemo.
Subs: Hopper, Hamzat, Hoti, Yonsian.