Dale suffered a 3-0 defeat against high-flying Wycombe Wanderers at the Crown Oil Arena.
Goals from Fred Onyedinma and Adebayo Akinfenwa sent the visitors into the break with a two-goal advantage, before Onyedinma added a third late on in the second period to secure the points for the Chairboys.
Brian Barry-Murphy made three changes from Wednesday night’s heroics at Old Trafford, as Jimmy Ryan, Calvin Andrew and Aaron Wilbraham came in for Luke Matheson, Aaron Morley and Stephen Dooley.
The sides exchanged early efforts, with Dominic Gape firing well over from distance and Callum Camps seeing a turn and shot well blocked after he had been found by Ian Henderson.
Wycombe opened the scoring in 16th minute, when a cross from the right was deflected into the path of Onyedinma at the back-post. He took a touch before firing beyond Robert Sánchez, despite MJ Williams’ best efforts to keep it out on the line.
The visitors doubled their lead ten minutes later through Akinfenwa, when he met a ball into the area from the left, looping a header over Sánchez from 12-yards.
Dale saw plenty of the ball and towards the end of the half came close to grabbing a goal back on two occasions.
Rhys Norrington-Davies’ low ball in from the left was swept goalwards by Henderson, but well held by Wycombe stopper Ryan Allsop.
Dale’s best first-half chance came on the stroke of the break, when Jim McNulty met Ryan’s out swinging corner, powering a header off the face of the crossbar.
Ollie Rathbone’s superb run and through ball to Norrington-Davies at the start of the second-half created half a chance for Dale, with the full-back’s ball across the face of goal needing to be cleared by the feet of Allsop.
Dooley replaced Ryan on the hour mark and saw a low shot well held by the Wycombe goalkeeper, before Fabio Tavares made his league debut, replacing Wilbraham.
The visitors’ third came 12 minutes from time. Scott Kashket pulled a ball back for fellow substitute Josh Parker, who struck the upright with an effort which fell kindly for Onyedinma to slot home his second of the game.
Morley replaced Rathbone late on, whilst Camps fired a volley off target and was then inches away from getting on the end of Henderson’s low ball in, before Norrington-Davies saw a free-kick deflected over with the final effort of the game.