Rochdale were defeated 2-1 by Blackpool at the Crown Oil Arena on New Year’s Day.
After a goalless first-half, the Seasiders broke the deadlock through Nathan Delfouneso nine minutes after the break, before Kelvin Mellor doubled the lead midway through the half.
Mark Kitching pulled a goal back for Dale in stoppage time, but they couldn’t find the equaliser despite late pressure.
Keith Hill made two changes from Friday night’s game at Doncaster Rovers, as Calvin Andrew and Mark Kitching replaced Keith Keane and Joe Bunney.
The first-half was played in monsoon-like conditions, and the rain soaked surface caused problems for Blackpool goalkeeper Christoffer Mafoumbi after three minutes, when he beat away Callum Camps’ 30-yard free-kick.
Andrew and the visitors’ Nathan Delfouneso both headed free-kicks wide, before Kitching and Ian Henderson sent efforts from outside the area well wide.
Camps had to be alert at the other end midway through the half when he cleared off the line after a ball in by Callum Cooke almost crept over the line.
Donervon Daniels saw a shot inside the area blocked after a corner had fallen to him, before Andy Cannon’s pull-back from the byline was turned behind for a corner by Mafoumbi.
The visitors started the second half strongly, with Colin Daniel and Viv Solomon-Otabor firing efforts goalwards, and they opened the scoring nine minutes after the restart.
Delfouneso worked his way into the area, and kept his composure to dummy past Dale defenders and Lillis, before firing home at the near post.
The Seasiders doubled their lead midway through the second period, when Mellor headed an inswinging corner into the ground, which bounced up into the roof of the net.
Bradden Inman, Joe Thompson and Jordan Williams were all introduced as Dale searched for a route back into the game, but they had Lillis to thank when he denied a Daniel header with a diving save to his right, before a second header from the rebound looped into his arms.
Sean Longstaff fired into the arms of Lillis from distance, before Inman blazed over Cannon’s pull-back from 12 yards.
Kitching pulled a goal back in stoppage time, turning home a loose ball after Matty Done’s cross back into the area, and Dale were so close to a dramatic equaliser when Camps’ deflected free-kick landed on the roof of the net with Mafoumbi stranded.
However, despite late pressure, it wasn’t to be for Dale, as Blackpool held on to all three points.