Ten-man Dale earned a valuable point against Southend United, drawing 0-0 as Brendan Moore saved a penalty in first-half stoppage time at Roots Hall.
Moore denied Simon Cox from the spot after Joe Rafferty was deemed to held Ryan Leonard in the area, and Dale were reduced to ten men when Ian Henderson was given a straight red card despite winning the ball.
The home side dominated the play after the dismissal, but failed to create a clear cut chance as the Dale defence dealt with them comfortably to earn a hard-earned point.
Niall Canavan, Mark Kitching and transfer deadline day loan signing Jordan Williams (12) came into the side as Keith Hill made three changes.
Dale started well and created a couple of chances inside the opening ten minutes. Canavan met a corner at the near post, but his header hit Ian Henderson before going behind for a goal kick.
Henderson was involved again moments later, when his ball across the area from the right found its way to Jordan Williams (11). He took a touch and struck powerfully on target, only to see Mark Oxley superbly tip on to the post and out for a corner.
Other than those opening moments, the first half provided little by way of goalmouth action until the second minute of stoppage time, when the hosts were awarded a penalty.
A corner was swung in, and as the ball flew over everybody, the referee blew for a foul against Joe Rafferty, who was deemed to have been holding Ryan Leonard.
Cox stepped up, but Moore pulled off a great save low to his right, gathering at the second attempt to deny him.
Referee Tim Robinson was the talking point again five minutes into the second period, when he showed a straight red card to Henderson. The Dale skipper went in strongly on Stephen Hendrie but appeared to have won the ball, and after a long discussion with his assistant, the referee dismissed Henderson.
Jermaine McGlashan sent an effort over for the hosts, and substitute Nile Ranger had a shot from the edge of the six yard box blocked on the turn, as the home side struggled to create a clear cut chance against a strong Dale defence.
Canavan had Dale’s best chance of the second period, when he headed over a dangerous corner kick from eight yards out.
Andy Cannon and Matty Done were replaced by Steven Davies and season-long loanee Donervon Daniels in the final ten minutes as Dale tried to see out the game.
The hosts applied pressure late on, but Dale were comfortable in dealing with it.
Bradden Inman replaced Williams (11) in the final minute of five added on, as ten-man Dale held on to earn a valuable point.