The Youth Team were beaten 3-2 by Blackpool in the EFL Youth Alliance League on Saturday.
Dale had taken the lead twice in the first-half, but were pegged back and eventually fell behind late on, as the visitors took all three points.
Keaton Mulvey put Dale ahead early on, cutting in from the right side of the area and firing powerfully past the Blackpool stopper.
The visitors equalised on the half hour mark. Good footwork on the left led to a dangerous cross into the middle, which was turned home from close range.
A fine fingertip save from Morgan Piper kept the scores level, before Dale restored their lead on the stroke of half-time.
Kacper Mialkowski’s cross from the left found Mulvey who saw a shot blocked, but Musambya Kisimba was on hand to smash home the rebound from the edge of the six-yard box.
Blackpool restored parity for a second time shortly after the break and they took the lead for the first time late on, when a stunning strike from distance found the top corner.
Dale pressed late on were denied a last-minute equaliser when Ethan Brierley saw a shot, destined for the bottom corner, superbly tipped round the upright.
Dale XI | Piper, Chorlton, Lee, Dunne, Mialkowski, Nock, Patrick, Brierley, Kisimba, Mulvey, Moreland.
Subs | Kinsella, Wright, Kershaw, Robinson.