Rochdale bowed out of the Central League Cup on Tuesday afternoon, following a 2-0 defeat to Accrington Stanley’s under-23s in Dale’s final group stage tie.
A mix of first team and youth team Dale players were named in the squad for the behind-closed-doors game at the Crown Oil Arena.
Accrington had a couple of half chances during the opening exchanges before going on to take the lead on 10 minutes.
After Stanley hit Dale on the breakaway, Korede Adedoyin had a scuffed shot held by Brad Kelly, before Rosaire Longelow struck across goal and narrowly wide of the far post.
Rochdale’s first chance of the game came soon after, when Danny Cashman pulled the ball back across the edge of the area for Paul Kyffin, who fired over.
The visitors opened the scoring sixty seconds later, with Archie Proctor thumping home from the edge of the six-yard box.
Kelly got down to his left in the 22nd minute to produce a good save to deny Jack Nolan.
Dale rallied and had opportunities to level before the break. After being played in by Abraham Odoh, Luke Charman was kept out by Liam Isherwood, who got out to get behind the shot. Charman then headed over from a free-kick, before seeing his curling effort well held by Isherwood.
Meanwhile, after Cashman had an effort blocked, Ben Kershaw had his follow up held by the Accrington ‘keeper.
Stanley doubled their advantage 10 minutes into the second half through Adedoyin, who curled a left-footed strike into the far corner from the edge of the area.
Shortly after the hour, Charman saw a shot from the edge of the area deflected wide.
A triple Rochdale substitution followed, as Charman, Cashman and Odoh made way for youth team players Oscar Kelly, Bassit Mandey and Max Sutton.
The visitors had the ball in the back of the net midway through the second half but it was ruled our for offside, before Leslie Adekoya shot across goal and wide of the upright soon after.
A couple of minutes before time, substitute Oscar Kelly forced Isherwood into a save, with the ‘keeper getting two hands behind the near post shot to tip it round the upright.
Dale XI | Kelly, Scanlon, Graham, Brierley, White, Jesus, Kyffin, Kershaw, Odoh, Cashman, Charman.
Subs | Craven, Kelly, Mandey, Sutton, Watts.