Dale fell to a late defeat away at Morecambe on Saturday, losing 1-0 at Lancaster & Morecambe College.
A header three minutes from time courtesy of Morecambe’s number 9 condemned Chris Brown’s side to defeat.
Dale started brightly and worked the ball well down the left before Kacper Mialkowski’s ball across the box was claimed by the goalkeeper.
Then, Jordan Scanlon showed quick feet before finding Joe Wright whose shot from the edge of the area was straight down the goalkeepers’ throat.
Wright was then forced off through injury on the half hour mark and was replaced by Anisio Jesus.
Into the second-half, Scanlon found Jesus inside the box, but he fired over.
Peter Thomas showed great control which allowed him to get a shot away, but it was once again gathered by the ‘keeper.
Then a deep cross from the right found its way to the back post to a Morecambe man who headed into the bottom corner to give the home side the lead.
The result was harsh on Dale who looked the most threatening out of both sides in a game of very few clear-cut chances overall.
DALE XI | Kelly, Chorlton, Nock, Pye, Gouveia, Kershaw, Clarkson, Mialkowski, Scanlon, Thomas, Wright (29’).
SUBS | Craven, Kinsella, D’Souza, Cullen, Jesus (29’), Caldwell, Lee.