Rochdale fell to a 4-1 defeat at home to MK Dons on Tuesday night.
The visitors to the Crown Oil Arena opened the scoring early in the first half, before Dale equalised through Matty Lund six minutes before the break.
Three quick fire second half goals secured victory for MK Dons.
There were three changes to the side that lined up against Charlton Athletic at the weekend. Conor Shaughnessy made his Dale debut, while Matty Done and Alex Newby also came in to the starting eleven, replacing
Straight from kick-off Stephen Humphrys charged down the goalkeeper who was caught in possession, blocking Andrew Fisher’s attempted clearance, but the ball spun away from goal. The Dale forward did enough to keep it in play before crossing into the area but the ball was cleared away.
Dale had started brightly but went behind on five minutes, when O’Riley curled an effort from 25-yards into the far corner, to open the scoring.
A couple of minutes later Zak Jules had a shot comfortably held by Gavin Bazunu at the near post, before Humphrys had appeals for a penalty turned down up the other end. He appeared to have been upended inside the area, but the referee was quick to turn the calls.
Rochdale came agonisingly close to an equaliser in the 19th minute, but were denied by Fisher. Lund got a touch to Matty Done’s dangerous cross in from the left which was well-saved by the ‘keeper from close range and he managed to claim it at the second attempt to prevent Alex Newby from turning the ball home at the near post.
Dale were in on goal again six minute later, Fisher on hand once again to keep Lund out, turning behind his effort from a Morley delivery.
Shortly before the half hour mark MK Dons’ Harry Darling tired his luck from inside his own half with a speculative free-kick that was tipped over the bar by Bazunu.
Captain Eoghan O’Connell was forced off through injury in the 37th minute and was replaced by Keohane.
During the closing ten minutes of the half Rochdale posed a threat every time they came forward and dominated the midfield battle.
Humphrys dragged an effort wide of the target before Dale netted a deserved equaliser moments later, when Lund finished off a brilliant move to net this 12th of the season.
Rathbone showed great determination to win the ball back inside his own half before driving forward and playing in Humphrys who squared for Lund to sweep the ball home.
In stoppage time, Fisher pulled off a big save to deny Newby, pushing his effort round the post, before the half ended with the visitors have a goal ruled out for offside.
HT | ROCHDALE 1-1 MK DONS
MK Dons scored three goals in seven second-half minutes to put the game beyond Rochdale.
In the 55th minute Jerome’s initial header from a corner came crashing off the bar and was nodded in on the follow up by Jules.
Three minutes later and Fraser fired a shot beyond Bazunu from 20-yards to extend their lead, while Jerome slid in at the far post to prod home from close range, to net the visitors’ fourth.
Dale’s second change of the game followed in the 64th minute, when Kwadwo Baah came on for Morley.
A triple substitution came soon after, as Done, Newby and Humphrys made way for Ryan McLaughlin, Conor Grant and Jake Vale.
Baah curled an effort inches wide of the upright late on and Bazunu got his fingertips to a Fraser strike to turn it onto the upright.
FT | ROCHDALE 1-4 MK DONS