Ian Henderson’s 11th league goal of the season secured a 1-0 victory over Accrington Stanley at the Crown Oil Arena.
The Dale skipper nodded home Matty Done’s corner in the 63rd minute, which proved to be decisive.
Keith Hill made three changes to his side from last weekend’s game at Shrewsbury Town, with Josh Lillis, Matty Done and Dan Adshead, making his first EFL start on his return from international duty with England Under-18s, all starting.
Lillis was called into action inside the opening 20 seconds of the game, turning Dan Barlaser’s effort wide of the near post, before Ian Henderson had to clear off the line from the resulting corner.
The Dale skipper then flicked Stephen Dooley’s low cross wide of the near post in Dale’s first foray forward.
Nick Anderton and Jordan Clark fired off target for the visitors with half chances, whilst Michael Ihiekwe and Offrande Zanzala headed off target from set-pieces.
A Stanley defender almost headed Joe Rafferty’s cross from the right into his own net, with goalkeeper Connor Ripley holding well.
Ripley’s opposite number Lillis was called into action twice before the interval, producing a fine stop to deny Billy Kee from close range before a follow-up was blocked and cleared.
He then denied former Dale man Sean McConville at the near post, after the Stanley winger brought down a cross from the right and fired goalwards.
After the break, a good block from Adshead deflected Barlaser’s effort just over the crossbar, with Zanzala’s header from the resulting corner flying over.
Rafferty sent first-time effort wide of the near post from Dooley’s lay-off, before Calvin Andrew, on for Bradden Inman as a substitute, fired straight at Ripley from Camps’ through ball.
Shortly after the hour mark, the deadlock was broken. Done’s corner to the near post was met by Henderson, who stooped to head home underneath Ripley.
Andrew was inches away from getting on the end of a fizzed cross from Rafferty five minutes late as Dale looked to double their advantage.
The visitors saw efforts from Barlaser, Kee and Sam Finley, all from distance, fly narrowly over.
Connor Hall headed over late on with the visitors’ final chance of the game, as Dale held on for a sixth league win of the season.