Rochdale fell to a 1-0 defeat away at Blackpool on Tuesday night.
Sullay KaiKai’s first half goal proved to the difference between the two sides at the Bloomfield Road.
There was one change to the eleven that lined-up against MK Dons last Tuesday evening, as Jim McNulty came in for Haydon Roberts.
Blackpool enjoyed plenty of the ball during the opening exchanges but Rochdale stood firm rebuffing their early attempted attacks into the area and it was Dale who had the first opportunity of the game on 10 minutes.
Captain Eoghan O’Connell sent a quick free-kick over the top to Alex Newby, who beat the offside trap before attempting to lift the ball up and over Chris Maxwell. However the Seasiders’ stopper reached high to palm away the effort.
Soon after, Humphrys curled an effort over.
Up the other end and there was some brave defending by Dale three minutes later. From a free-kick into the area, Jordan Thorniley had an initial effort blocked by Conor Shaughnessy, before Gavin Bazunu pulled off a fine save to deny Kenny Dougall on the follow up. McNulty threw himself in the way of shot on the rebound, taking it up and over the bar.
Blackpool had the ball in the back of the net from the resulting corner but it was quickly ruled out as Jerry Yates had swept the ball home at the back post from an offside position.
The hosts went on to break the deadlock with 21 minutes on the clock, when KaiKai struck through a packed six-yard box, with his shot deflecting beyond Bazunu.
Maxwell was forced to tip a dipping Stephen Humphrys free-kick over the bar, while Bazunu got down to get his fingertips to a dangerous Ellis Simms low ball across the face of goal, soon after.
In stoppage time, there were big shouts for a Dale penalty as Ollie Rathbone went to ground after being clipped from behind, but the appeals were waved away, in the last action of the half.
HT | BLACKPOOL 0-1 ROCHDALE
Two minutes after the restart KaiKai was kept out by the woodwork after his free-kick came off the outside of the the post. But despite the early scare Rochdale were the better of the two sides during the second half, putting Blackpool under pressure for long spells, however, the Seasiders defended resolutely and Dale couldn’t find an equaliser, in a half where they had two penalty claims turned down late on.
Shortly before Rochdale’s first change of the game, Aaron Morley troubled Maxwell with a corner, and after initially spilling the deliverly, the 'keeper quickly gathered at the second attempt ahead of Lund who was waiting to get on the end of it at the near post.
Kwadwo Baah then replaced Shaughnessy on the hour, before a double substitution followed eight minutes later, when Matty Done and Gabriel Osho made way for Jimmy Keohane and Ryan McLaughin, respectively.
After Newby broke down the right, Keohane headed wide of the target, having arrived at pace to meet Newby’s ball into the box.
And the substitute was involved in a penalty claim with two minutes remaining when he was fouled inside the area. Rathbone went on to find the back of the net with a header from the edge of the area but the whistle had already gone for a free-kick against Keohane and in favour of the goalkeeper.
In stoppage time, Lund was bundled over in the area, but, again, no spot-kick was given.
FT| BLACKPOOL 1-0 ROCHDALE