Rochdale fell to a 3-2 defeat at MK Dons on Saturday, after a late goal by Ryan Seager sealed the points for the home side.
The first half produced four goals, with Bradden Inman and Matty Done netting for Dale. Inman opened the scoring at stadium:mk with a wonderful finish just eight minutes into the game, while the Dons equalised five minutes later through Gboly Ariyibi.
Aryibi put MK Dons in front with an unstoppable strike from 25-yards shortly before half-time, but Rochdale responded immediately, as Done levelled terms a minute later.
Dale had numerous chances in the second half to regain the lead, mostly through Steven Davies, but it was the home side who netted six minutes from time to claim the victory.
Manager Keith Hill named an unchanged eleven for the match, while Kgosi Ntlhe and Callum Camps were back in the squad, with the pair were named on the bench.
Dale started the game on the front foot, applying plenty of pressure, and deservedly broke the deadlock just eight minutes in the match, with Bradden Inman netting his first goal for the club just eight minutes in the match.
The on loan Peterborough United forward was picked out by Ollie Rathbone, and he struck on the turn from just inside the area to open to the scoring with a wonderful finish.
From distance, Andy Cannon forced MK Dons goalkeeper Lee Nicholls down to his left as Dale continued on the ascendancy, but the Dons equalised against the run of play a minute later through Gboly Ariyibi, who lashed the ball home from inside the area.
Rathbone struck wide of the target from 35-yards, while Ariyibi drew a save from Moore with a shot from a tight angle, as both sides went in search of another goal.
MK Dons went ahead the 41st minute, as Ariyibi doubled his tally for the afternoon with an stoppable strike from 25-yards, but the lead was short lived as Dale equalised a minute later, when Done scrambled the ball over the line after having his initial effort well-saved.
HT: MK DONS 2-2 ROCHDALE
Ariyibi continued to pose a real threat for MK Dons during the second half, without creating too many clear cut opportunities, and it was Dale who had the better of the chances, as the rain, thunder and lightning struck at stadium:mk.
Before Joe Bunney was replaced by Kgosi Ntlhe, Cannon saw a low effort held by Nicholls.
On the hour, the MK Dons goalkeeper was called into action again, this time turning a Davies free-kick from 35-yards round the post.
Davies was denied minute later, as Nicholls kept him out from six-yards.
Dale’s second substitution of the match followed soon after, with Camps replacing Cannon, and Davies then came close again, this time he hit an effort across goal and just wide of the target.
There were shouts for a Dale penalty in the 70th minute when Rathbone was tripped inside the area, but the referee wasn’t interested.
With the home side having made three substitutions in quick succession, they began to really apply the pressure, and Moore pulled off a wonderful save to tip a Sow effort over the bar.
Davies came close again, as he struck just inches over the cross bar. It was his last involvement of the game - he was replaced by Jordan Slew.
Five minutes from time, MK Dons regained the lead as two substitutes combined. Ryan Seager raced onto a lofted ball from Ousseynou Cisse and finished past Moore from inside the area.
Goal scorer Inman curled an effort from 20-yards into the hands of Nicholls, before hitting a dipping effort over the bar in the dying seconds, but Dale couldn’t find the equaliser.
FT: MK DONS 3-2 ROCHDALE