Rochdale fell to a 2-1 home defeat to Doncaster Rovers on Saturday.
Kieran Agard’s first half-strike was cancelled out by Scott Quigley’s header five minutes later and the sides went in level at the break. George Miller restored the visitors’ lead in the 69th minute, scoring what proved to be Rovers’ winner.
Manager Jim Bentley named an unchanged starting eleven for the match, with Ethan Ebanks-Landell returning from injury to replace Tahvon Campbell on the bench.
An action packed first five minutes saw Femi Seriki race back to superbly put in a timely challenge to keep George Miller out, after the Rovers forward had got through one-on-one with Richard O’Donnell. Consecutive corners followed and Luke Molyneux dragged a shot wide.
The visitors should then have been ahead, but as the target gaped in front of Miller, he struck wide after an O’Donnell error had seen him get in on goal.
A lengthy stoppage followed with Joseph Olowu requiring treatment on the pitch, and he went off to be replaced by Bobby Faulkner.
With half an hour gone, O’Donnell clawed away a dangerous cross from under his bar. The ball went out as went Kyle Hurst who struck over on the follow up.
Dale enjoyed a spell on top but couldn’t carve out a clear cut opportunity as Doncaster stood firm and rebuffed the danger, and Rovers went on to take the lead in the 39th minute, when Agard fired into the bottom corner from inside the area.
But Rochdale were back level five minutes later. Dale should have had a penalty when Quigley’s powerful shot hit a Doncaster arm inside the box, but the referee played on and after Liam Kelly sent the ball back into the area, Quigley rose highest to nod home the equaliser.
Chances were at a premium for either side during the open exchanges of the second half, with Molyneux, most notably, striking wide of the upright from range, around the hour.
Rochdale’s first substitution of the game followed in the 62nd minute, as Tyrese Sinclair made way for Abraham Odoh and Odoh was involved immediately, winning a corner for his side.
He then sent Seriki up the right and, after his cross was partially defended away, Kelly had a powerful effort blocked on the edge of the area. The ball was sent back in by Seriki and Odoh saw his glanced header held by Johnny Mitchell.
And it was immediately up the other end that Doncaster restored their lead. After a run into the box, Kyle Knoyle played the ball into the feet of Miller, who slotted home.
A further two Dale changes came in the 74th minute, when Connor Malley and Ian Henderson replaced Toumani Diagouraga and James Ball, before two more followed 11 minutes later with Jim McNulty and Seriki making way for Ebanks-Landell and Rayhaan Tulloch.
Right at the death, Henderson met Malley’s cross in from the right and he could only watch on was his header bounced wide of the post.