The Youth Team secured their 13th consecutive victory with a 2-1 win over Bury on Tuesday.
Neil Kuemo headed Dale in front early on in an opening period they dominated, but the hosts equalised midway through the second half.
However, the lead lasted less than a minute, as Lewis Bradley put Dale back in front with what turned out to be the winner.
Kuemo glanced a header wide from Aaron Morley’s corner after just two minutes, but he made no mistake nine minutes later when he broke the deadlock.
Luke Matheson delivered a superb cross from the right side, which Kuemo met at the near post area to power a header into the back of the net.
Dale thought they had doubled the lead just a minute later when Fabio Tavares turned home Florent Hoti’s through ball, but the striker was deemed to be in an offside position.
Joe Renner and Florian Yonsian both sent efforts wide as Dale controlled the first-half, with James Neild also heading wide from another Morley corner.
Only the woodwork prevented a second goal on the half hour mark, when Dan Adshead curled an effort off the crossbar from the edge of the area after being found by Kuemo.
Kuemo was involved again when he fizzed an effort just over the crossbar, before he found Hoti with a low ball across the face of goal, who dragged an effort wide of the near post when he should have hit the target.
Dale stopper Brad Wade was forced into his first action of the game on the stroke of half-time, making a good stop low to his left to turn away a curling effort.
The second-half was a more even affair, with Morley’s curling free-kick just over the crossbar the closest Dale came following the break.
The hosts grabbed an equaliser in the 66th minute, when Callum Dolan pounced on a loose ball just inside the Dale area to drill home past Wade.
However, Dale responded instantly and were back in front within a minute. Kuemo delivered low from the left to substitute Bradley at the back post, who turned home from close range.
Tavares had a good chance to give Dale a two-goal cushion when he showed great determination to chase a ball over the top, but a good block from a Bury defender stopped his shot at source.
Dale didn’t look in too much danger inside the closing stages, until two minutes from time when Wade had to make a superb save to keep his side in front.
Bury goalscorer Dolan found room just outside the area and curled a low effort towards the far post, which Wade got down to superbly to turn around the upright.
It ensured Dale took all three points, and moved them to within a point of league leaders with Wigan Athletic with two games in hand.
Next up for the Youth Team is Fleetwood Town at home (Bower Fold, Stalybridge) on Saturday 28th April, 1pm kick-off.