Rochdale were defeated 2-0 at home to Shrewsbury Town on Tuesday night after conceding two second-half goals.
Joshua Daniels and Josh Vela were on the score sheet for the Shrews.
Dale were the better of the two sides during the first half but were punished during the second period, having been unable to find a way past the Shrews while on top.
Haydon Roberts and Matty Done started in place of Aaron Morley and Kwadwo Baah, in two changes to the eleven from Saturday’s game at Sunderland.
Rochdale were excellent throughout the first half and controlled proceedings, however the two sides went in level at the break.
Dale tested first after a couple of minutes, setting the tempo of the game, when Stephen Humphrys had a shot from range held by Harry Burgoyne.
With quarter of an hour played, Burgoyne spilled Matty Done’s corner and after battling to keep the ball alive, Captain Eoghan O’Connell lashed it back across the face of goal and Humphrys had a back heeled effort blocked.
Conor Grant then curled an effort wide from just outside the area before Rochdale had a chance cleared off the line. Done got in behind the defence and rounded the onrushing Burgoyne. After being forced wide, he pulled it back for Humphrys who came sliding in but Ro-Shaun Williams hooked away the danger, denying Dale on the line.
Shaun Whalley had a strike from 25-yards held by Gavin Bazunu, while the Rochdale ‘keeper got down low to claim a Nathanael Ogbeta curling effort from distance, a short time later.
HT | ROCHDALE 0-0 SHREWSBURY TOWN
Rochdale had been the better of the two sides throughout the first half but found themselves behind 10 minutes into the second period, when Shrewsbury broke the deadlock. Daniels met a Whalley cross to the back post and headed home.
Shortly after the half hour O’Connell headed over from a Done corner, before the Shrews doubled their advantage three minutes later. Vela broke clear and after getting through one-on-one with Bazunu, he finished low into the bottom corner.
A double Dale substitution followed, as Paul McShane and Ryan McLaughlin made way for Morley and Baah.
Still the visitors stood firm, with Grant having a shot blocked by the onrushing goalkeeper and Keohane, too, having an effort blocked.
A third Rochdale change came in the 79 minute, Alex Newby replacing Gabriel Osho.
Dale continued in search of a goal until the end but couldn’t find a way past the Shrews. Humphrys had a shot turned behind, while Shaughnessy had an effort plucked out of the air by the ‘keeper in stoppage time.
FT | ROCHDALE 0-2 SHREWSBURY TOWN