Rochdale were beaten 2-0 at home by Burton Albion on Saturday.
Second half goals from Kane Hemmings and Lucas Akins secured victory for the Brewers at the Crown Oil Arena.
Paul McShane, Matty Done and Kwadwo Baah came into the starting eleven in place of Jimmy McNulty, Jimmy Keohane and Conor Grant, in three changes from Tuesday night’s game at Northampton Town.
Rochdale were the first to test, on two minutes, when they had three shots blocked in quick succession, with Stephen Humphrys and Alex Newby all having efforts kept out by the resolute Brewers defence.
Soon after up the other end, Burton, too, had a flurry of shots at goal denied, as Dale stood firm to eventually see away the danger after a Danny Rowe corner, which was headed back across goal by Tom Hamer, had caused problems inside the area.
A lengthy stoppage in play followed, as Ryan McLaughlin and Hamer needed treatment after clashing heads. Thankful, after receiving treatment on the pitch, they were both able to continue.
Good pressure from Rochdale resulted in Ollie Rathbone clipping a ball in to Newby following an exchange with McLaughlin, and Newby had a header held by Ben Garratt at his near post.
Before the half hour, Gavin Bazunu pushed away Jonny Smith’s snapshot through a packed box, before comfortably keeping out a curling effort from Sean Clare.
And he pulled off a stunning fingertip save with 43 minutes on the clock, tipping a Hamer half-volley from the edge of the area over the bar.
There were six minutes of stoppage time added on due to the earlier clash of heads and as the game entered the second of those, there were appeals by the Burton players for a penalty. A free-kick on the edge of the area was awarded instead and Rathbone blocked Michael Bostwick’s powerful low strike from the resulting set-piece.
HT | ROCHDALE 0-0 BURTON ALBION
Nine minutes after the restart Michael Fondop squandered an opportunity as he struck wide of the far post after getting in on goal.
Substitute Kane Hemmings also had a chance to put Burton Albion ahead, shortly after the hour, but he couldn’t keep his effort down and he scooped it over the bar.
But he found the target four minutes later to break the deadlock. After a long throw-in into the area was flicked on, Hemmings turned it home from close range.
A double Rochdale change followed in the 72nd minute, when Aaron Morley and Conor Shaughnessy made way for Haydon Roberts and Conor Grant.
Five minutes later Dale were reduced ten men, after Rathbone was shown a straight red card following an altercation with Smith.
The visitors doubled their advantage, ultimately securing victory, with four minutes left to play, when Lucas Akins curled an effort from the edge of the area into the top corner.
In stoppage time, Abraham Odoh came on to make his Rochdale debut, replacing Kwadwo Baah.
FT | ROCHDALE 0-2 BURTON ALBION