Football: Forest Green Rovers 2 - 1 Rochdale 

James Ball scored the opener for Dale

Rochdale fell to a late defeat against runaway league leaders Forest Green Rovers on Tuesday night (8 February).

James Ball had given Robbie Stockdale’s side the lead on his debut but Jack Aitchison equalised for the hosts before Matty Stevens’ header sealed the three points.

Dale made one change from the side that drew against Colchester last Tuesday night, with Ball coming in for Alex Newby for his debut, after signing from Solihull Moors on deadline day.

Rob Edwards’ side started full of confidence and were quick to close Dale down, with only a superb stop from Joel Coleman denying them the opener on 16 minutes after a header from Billy Cargill.

Stockdale’s side grew into the game and were perhaps unfortunate not to be awarded a penalty when Conor Grant was felled in the area, with the Dale boss understandably frustrated on the sideline.

However, Rovers always looked dangerous and came the closest to scoring in the first half when Ben Stevenson’s placed effort clipped the outside of Coleman’s post.

It was Dale who started with the greater intensity in the second half and they took the lead just two minutes in, with Liam Kelly’s cutback perfect for Ball to finish past Luke McGee.

Unfortunately, that was as good as it got for the travelling Dale fans, as the hosts began a barrage of attacks on the Dale goal, with Jeriel Dorsett on hand to block Matty Stevens’ strike in the area.

Dale then lost experienced defender Paul Downing to injury and quickly crumbled, with on-loan Barnsley man Jack Aitchison finding the corner from the edge of the box after a mix-up between Dale substitutes Max Taylor and Stephen Dooley.

It seemed as if it was a matter of when and not if Forest Green would take the lead, with Cargill seeing a superb looped header come back off the bar.

All of Dale’s hard work was undone when the impressive Kane Wilson floated in a cross and Matty Stevens headed straight at Coleman, only for the goalkeeper to palm it into his own net on 86 minutes.

Stockdale’s side still had a golden chance to equalise in injury time when the ball fell to Ball inside the box, but the debutant sent his volleyed effort wide and Dale left the New Lawn with nothing to show for their efforts.

A win looks like a must for Dale on Saturday against Harrogate Town, otherwise they risk dropping into the relegation dogfight.