Dale suffered a 2-1 defeat at home to Dagenham & Redbridge on Saturday afternoon.
A double from Inih Effiong, either side of a Tyrese Sinclair special, saw the visitors take a 2-1 lead into half-time, which they ultimately held on to.
Jimmy McNulty made two changes to the starting eleven from last weekend’s defeat at Aldershot Town, as Kyle Ferguson and Jimmy Keohane came in for Max Taylor and Finlay Armstrong. Cameron John reverted to left-back, whilst Kairo Mitchell returned to the squad after two months out through injury.
Also on the bench was Under-16 Academy player Mateus Mane, who has been a regular for the Youth Team this season.
The visitors started the better of the two teams, as Keenan Forson forced home debutant Tiernan Brooks into a save, before Dagenham took the lead in the ninth minute.
Effiong was played through into the penalty area, before finishing powerfully from close range.
Following the goal, Dale took control of possession, with D’Mani Mellor and Sinclair both seeing shots blocked.
However, five minutes before the break, Sinclair netted his 11th of the season to bring Dale level. He was found by a great through ball, before cutting back on to his right inside the area and curling one into the far top corner.
In the final minute of added time though, the visitors were awarded a penalty, as Keohane was adjudged to have brought down Ryan Hill. Effiong stepped up and converted the spot kick.
After the break, Dale resumed control of possession, with Kyron Gordon firing a shot wide and Sinclair hitting a swerving free-kick which was beaten away well by visiting goalkeeper Elliot Justham.
Mitchell made a return from the substitute’s bench as Dale tried to carve out a chance for an equaliser.
The visitors put men behind the ball and broke when they had the opportunity, with Brooks making good saves from Sam Ling and substitute Dion Pereira.
Mitchell headed a corner wide in added time, in what was Dale’s final chance, as they fell to defeat.
Dale XI | Brooks, Gordon, Ferguson, Ebanks-Landell (89’ Armstrong), John, Gilmour, East, Keohane (59’ Mitchell), Sinclair, Henderson, Mellor (66’ Uchegbulam).
Unused subs | Taylor, Mane.
