Rochdale were held to a 0-0 draw by Oxford United at the Crown Oil Arena.
Dale had the better of the game and forced U’s goalkeeper Simon Eastwood into a number of good stops, and had saw a Callum Camps effort headed off the line.
However, Keith Hill’s side couldn’t find a goal their play deserved, being forced to settle for a point.
Joe Bunney and Steven Davies came in for Kgosi Ntlhe and Jim McNulty from last weekend’s game at Bradford City, as Keith Hill made two changes.
Davies, who made an immediate impact coming off the bench at Valley Parade to score, almost broke the deadlock after just six minutes.
He met Callum Camps’ cross at the back post, and saw a powerful header turned behind for a corner kick.
Donervon Daniels made a superb intervention to deny James Henry as he went through on goal, whilst at the other end efforts from Bunney and Joe Rafferty sailed over and were comfortably held respectively.
Camps tested Oxford goalkeeper Simon Eastwood twice around the half hour mark.
Firstly, his first-time effort from 30-yards was arrowing towards the bottom corner before the goalkeeper’s intervention, whilst a dipping free-kick from just outside the area was turned around the post for another corner.
Xemi Fernandez and Matty Done exchanged efforts wide at the beginning of the second period, whilst Eastwood was forced into another strong stop when Bunney met Henderson’s back post dinked cross.
The ball was partially cleared as far as Henderson, whose dipping volley was only a yard over the crossbar.
Henderson then saw an acrobatic effort fly wide, before diverted a Done right-wing cross just wide of the near post first time.
Josh Lillis made his first real save of the afternoon when Wes Thomas’ strike was heading for the bottom corner after it took a deflection off Camps.
Camps then saw a header cleared off the line, when a punch from Eastwood fell kindly for the midfielder. He nodded it back over the goalkeeper, but John Mousinho headed away the goalbound effort.
Dale were looking the more likely to break the deadlock, and Davies was inches away from turning in Bunney’s low ball from the left side.
That was Davies’ last act, as he was replaced by Jordan Williams, shortly before Bradden Inman replaced Done.
Dale pushed on in the time remaining looking for a goal their play deserved, but couldn’t quite create a clear cut chance, meaning the game ended goalless.