Rochdale secured three points on the road on Tuesday evening with a 1-0 win over Burton Albion.
Matty Lund’s second half goal against his former side earned Dale the victory at the Pirelli Stadium.
There were two changes from Saturday - Haydon Roberts made his debut, replacing Captain Eoghan O’Connell who missed out through illness, while Jim McNulty came in for the injured Paul McShane.
Rochdale were the better of the two sides during the opening exchanges, but it was the home side that came within inches of opening the scoring in the 21st minute when Kane Hemmings crashed a low cross off the post, before Vassilev's header was calmly defended away by Roberts.
Alex Newby saw a powerful strike blocked behind for a corner, while on the half hour, Roberts found Jimmy Keohane with a great diagonal pass. Keohane’s dangerous ball into the area caused problems for the hosts and Rathbone was able to fire narrowly wide of the upright before a late offside flag went up.
Joe Powell curled an effort well wide from outside the area soon after, but neither team could break the deadlock in a highly competitive first half and the sides went in level at the break.
HT | BURTON ALBION 0-0 ROCHDALE
Burton Albion struck first in the second half, but Powell’s effort failed to test Banzunu and it went well wide of the target.
And in the 49th minute, Rochdale opened the scoring, as Lund netted against his former side. The midfielder met Aaron Morley’s free-kick into the area and he sent a looping header over Kieran O’Hara and into the far corner to put Dale 1-0 up.
There was a superb break from Dale shortly before the hour mark as Tolaji Bola found Newby, but his low delivery was turned behind just in front of Beesley who had got himself into a dangerous position.
Rochdale were in control as they went in search of a second while defending resolutely to keep the Brewers’ threat in front of goal to a minimum, and Bazunu’s first save of the half came in the 69th minute when the ‘keeper clawed away a cross in from the right that could have crept in under the bar.
Ollie Rathbone had a low shot held by O’Hara, before Dale’s first change of the game followed three minutes later, as Newby made way for Fabio Tavares.
Keohane then sent a half-volley wide after a Morley corner was cleared away to him 25-yards from goal.
Up the other end and Ben Fox curled a 35-yard free-kick narrowly wide, while Ciaran Gilligan head past the post from a ball in from the left as Burton Albion tried to find a way back into the game.
In the 84th minute, McNulty made way for Ryan McLaughlin in Dale’s final substitution of the match having suffered cramp.
Rochdale continued on the front foot right until the end, and, with a minute left to play, Rathbone drove forward from just inside the Burton half and saw an effort tipped superbly behind.
FT | BURTON ALBION 0-1 ROCHDALE