Rochdale lost 2-0 at home to Lincoln City on Saturday.
Goals in both halves from James Jones and Lewis Montsma secured victory for the Imps at the Crown Oil Arena.
There was one change to the side that lined up against Plymouth Argyle in the victory at Home Park. Stephen Dooley came in for Jake Beesley, who missed out after sustaining a head injury in the fixture.
The first half was a relatively even affair, but the visitors took a 1-0 lead into the break, when Jones broke the deadlock six minutes before the interval.
Both teams had created chances without testing either goalkeeper before the goal came.
There were shouts for a Dale penalty on 13 minutes, when the ball connected with the arm of a Lincoln player, however a free-kick on the edge of the area was given instead.
Aaron Morley had a shot blocked on the edge of box, while Hopper curled an effort wide of the post soon after.
Stephen Humphrys saw a snap shot deflected behind for a corner and Haydon Roberts struck from 30-yards, seeing his strike fly narrowly wide of the upright.
Lincoln threatened shortly before they took the lead, when Hopper’s strike from the edge of the area was deflected narrowly wide.
But their opener came four minutes later, when, after a sweeping move forward, Jones struck home from just inside the area, to net a well-worked goal. A cross from the left was cut back towards the centre of the area, left by Grant for Jones, who swept the ball home.
HT | ROCHDALE 0-1 LINCOLN CITY
Lincoln City dominated the second half and it was clear that they were intent on doubling their advantage, however, Dale stood firm early on and Jay Lynch held a curling effort from Brennan Johnson.
On the hour, Ollie Rathbone, who sustained what looked like an ankle injury, was replaced by Kwadwo Baah, in Rochdale’s first change of the game.
Alex Newby found Humphrys with a ball over the top soon after and the Dale forward had a shot from a tight angle kept out by the legs of Palmer.
But the Imps’ second of the afternoon came four minutes later when Montsma fired home from distance, proving too much of a mountain to climb for Rochdale.
Soon after, Lynch denied Johnson with a strong save at his near post and Grant struck over from 20-yards.
A double Rochdale changed followed in the 73rd minute, as Matty Done and Jimmy Ryan replaced Newby and Stephen Dooley.
Despite the changes, chances continued to be at a premium for Rochdale as the visitors continued to dominate.
Late on, Eoghan O’Connell found Baah with a brilliant diagonal ball and the young forward cut inside before striking an effort wide of the near post, while Lynch was forced to get down to make a low save to deny Max Melbourne, keeping him out with his feet.
In stoppage time, Tavares replaced Humphrys, but Dale were unable to find a way back into the game.
FT | ROCHDALE 0-2 LINCOLN CITY