Dale went out of the Leasing.com Trophy on a high after beating League Two side Bradford City at the Utilita Energy Stadium.
Goals from Rekeil Pyke and Fabio Tavares, along with a penalty save from Jay Lynch, saw a young Dale side clinch all three points.
However, due to the inferior goal difference, Dale exit the competition.
The game started off slowly and the first real chance on goal for either side resulted in a goal, with Bradford taking the lead.
Tyler French flicked home from a Jake Reeves set-piece to give the home side the lead.
Omari Patrick then went close, but his half volley was saved by Jay Lynch in the Dale goal, before Remi Oteh laid the ball back to Callum Cooke whose tame shot was well blocked by a Dale defender.
Then, some more intricate play from the hosts saw Kelvin Mellor bundled over in the box by Aaron Wilbraham resulting in a penalty.
Oteh stepped up to take the spot-kick but it was excellently saved by Lynch and cleared to safety.
Reeves was the next to go close for the Bantams, his shot cannoning back out off the crossbar.
Dale went in search for an equaliser and their first real attempt fell to Lewis Bradley, who dragged a shot wide from 25-yards.
Pyke equalised for Dale when his long-range effort found the top corner, flying past the despairing George Sykes-Kenworthy in the Bradford goal.
Dale continued on the front foot, and took the lead when Tavares flicked home after a neat clipped pass into the area from Jimmy Ryan.
A well worked Bradford set-piece nearly found its way to Oteh but Lynch was able to beat him to the loose ball.
On the stroke of half time, Harrison Hopper headed a cross at Sykes-Kenworthy who couldn’t hold on to it and had to dive on the ball to prevent Pyke finishing from close range.
In the second-half, Bradford started strongly and came forward through Jackson Longridge but his cross-shot was expertly blocked by Jimmy Keohane.
Zeli Ismail then cut in from the right-hand side and struck a powerful shot which produced an excellent diving save from Lynch once more.
The Dale ‘keeper made another save minutes later when Ismail cut the ball back to Reeves, who couldn’t generate enough power to equalise for the home side.
Cooke went close for Bradford with a long-range drive, but once again Lynch was on hand to tip over.
Hopper had a shot on goal for Dale but he couldn’t generate enough power to beat Sykes-Kenworthy.
Substitute Danny Devine’s shot brought out another fine save from Lynch who tipped behind for a corner.
Devine went close again, his low drive going behind off the post.
Dale defended well and saw the game out comfortably, however, both sides exit the competition.
Brian Barry-Murphy’s side will now turn their attention to Saturday’s fixture away at St. Andrew’s when they take on Coventry City, with ticket details available HERE.