Rochdale secured a well-earned three points on the road on Saturday, with a 2-1 victory over Bristol Rover at the Memorial Stadium.
An Alex Newby brace, his goals coming either side of a Luke Leah volley, sealed the win for Dale.
Newby had come in for Kwadwo Baah in the only change to the starting eleven, while, following the completion of his three-match ban, Jim McNulty returned to the bench.
Dale had the better of the chances in the first half but the sides went in level at the break after Newby’s 16th minute goal was cancelled out by Leah’s superb finish shortly after the half hour mark.
The opening exchanges were evenly poised, with the Gas’ Erhun Oztumer turning a cross in from the right narrowly wide of the upright on two minutes, in the only clear-cut opportunity of the early stages.
And it was Dale that broke the deadlock with their first chance of the game. Aaron Morley’s corner was flicked on by Matt Lund and turned across the line by Newby at the back post.
Brandon Hanlan sent a first-time effort inches wide of the upright five minutes later, before Dale should have doubled their advantage.
Brian Barry-Murphy’s side hit Bristol Rovers on the break and, after Newby played in Lund, he struck past the post from close range.
The Gas’ equaliser came in the 34th minute, when Leahy met a cross to the back post and cushioned a volley into the top corner.
Before the half was out, Stephen Humphrys got inside the area and fired an effort wide.
HT | BRISTOL ROVERS 1-1 ROCHDALE
After the break Bristol Rovers tested first, six minutes after the restart, but were kept out by Gavin Bazunu, who pushed a Hanlan shot from point-blank range behind at the near post.
Soon after, the Dale goalkeeper pulled off another important save, as he got out to the feet of Alfie Kilgour to block behind his effort.
The hosts hit the bar through Nicholson’s well-struck effort just after the hour, but it was Rochdale that went ahead in the 65th minute, as Newby netted his second of the afternoon.
Roberts did superbly well to drive forward with the ball before it found Lund. He played tin turn played in Newby, who cut inside and struck beyond Joe Day.
There was a couple of Dale substitutions late on, as Baah firstly replaced Humphrys and McNulty came on for goal scorer Newby.
There was a nervy finish to the game at the Mem, as the Gas applied pressure in the final moments, coming close on two occasions deep in stoppage time, but Rochdale stood firm to secure three well-deserved points.
Nicholson's cross-come-shot rolled just inches wide of the far post with Rovers players lurking, while Williams came sliding in at the back post to meet a Leahy ball across the face of goal but couldn’t make the necessary connection.
FT | BRISTOL ROVERS 1-2 ROCHDALE