Rochdale 3 - 2 Scunthorpe United

Calvin Andrew scored Rochdale's third

Rochdale pulled off a stunning, well deserved, win over League One leaders Scunthorpe United at the Crown Oil Arena.

Joe Thompson opened the scoring in the first half and Ollie Rathbone doubled Dale’s advantage early after the break. Calvin Andrew put Dale 3-0 up with 75 minutes on the clock.

Scunthorpe set the Dale supporters nerves on edge with two goals in the last 10 minutes but Dale saw out the game to take the three points.

Rochdale manager Keith Hill made five changes to the side that lined-up against Chesterfield in Tuesday night’s Checkatrade Trophy match. Joe Rafferty, Callum Camps, Ollie Rathbone, Joe Thompson and Steven Davies were all back.

In the first half, Dale looked a real threat every time they went forward.

Ian Henderson thought he had opened the scoring when he latched onto the end of a Rafferty pass and finished beyond Daniels, but his goal was ruled out for a hand ball.

Thompson gave Dale the lead after Bunney had got to the byline and delivered a low across goal to the back post - Thompson finishing from close range.

Half-time and Scunthorpe could consider themselves fortunate to go in only a goal down.

Dale doubled their lead in the 53rd minute; Ollie Rathbone got a toe to a seemingly lost-cause ball, and did enough to send his effort past the stranded Daniels and into the bottom corner of the net.

Calvin Andrew made his return from suspension on the hour mark, replacing Steven Davies.

Rochdale continued to turn the screw and they came agonisingly close to a third on a couple of occasions before substitute Andrew was picked out by Henderson, his strike from inside the 18-yard box took a deflection taking it up and over Daniels.

It looked to be game over but Scunthorpe substitute Tom Hopper's 81st-minute close-range finish offered them a glimmer of hope and when a Josh Morris' free-kick was side-footed home by Neal Bishop it set up a tense finale - but Rochdale played out the game for a deserved victory.