Joe Rafferty’s 90th minute strike secured a 1-0 victory over Hull City at the Crown Oil Arena.
He curled into the far bottom corner with seconds of normal time remaining, to secure Dale’s third victory from three pre-season matches.
The first chance of the game fell to the visitors, as Fraizer Campbell sent a stooping header into the arms of Josh Lillis who held comfortably.
Dale’s first chance fell the way of Joe Rafferty, who latched on to a Matty Done cross from the left, but he flashed an effort just over the crossbar.
Summer recruit David Perkins was denied by the legs of Hull goalkeeper David Marshall after an intricate passage of play from Dale.
Hull’s Jordy De Wijs and Evandro both saw efforts fly off target from distance, before Aaron Wilbraham had a fizzing effort beaten away by Marshall.
The Dale striker then saw an indirect free-kick deflected just wide of the near post, after Marshall had picked up a back-pass less than ten-yards from his own goal.
The visitors chalked up the first three efforts after the interval, as Todd Kane fired two efforts straight at Lillis either side of a Kevin Stewart drive off target.
Ollie Rathbone and Ian Henderson sent efforts over for Dale, whilst Stephen Kingsley curled a free-kick narrowly over the crossbar for the visitors.
Jim McNulty nodded a Done free-kick over the crossbar when in a decent position, before the visitors swapped all ten of their outfield players with just under 15 minutes remaining.
One of those substitutions, Nouha Dicko, fired over from a tight angle, but it was Dale who grabbed the winner as the 90 minutes came to a close.
Rafferty received a ball into feet on the right side, and with his first touch nutmegged his marker, before driving into the area and curling a left-footed effort into the far bottom corner to give Dale victory.
Dale XI | Lillis, Rafferty, McNulty, McGahey, MJ Williams, Rathbone (Adshead 80’), Done, Perkins, Wilbraham, Inman (Thompson 65’), Henderson (Andrew 75’).
Subs | Wade, Andrew, Camps, Williams, Thompson, Adshead, Cannon, Morley, Gillam.