Rochdale 1-0 Bournemouth
- Published
Gary Jones's stoppage-time penalty was enough to beat Bournemouth and move Rochdale off the bottom of the League One table.
The Cherries' Stephen Purches was stretchered off with a serious leg injury in the first half.
Wes Thomas and Matt Tubbs went close for the visitors, while Jones and Kevin Long forced saves from Darryl Flahavan.
The game looked destined for a draw until Dan Strugnell pushed Joe Thompson, leaving Jones to lash home.
Rochdale have now won two games on the bounce, but remain four points from safety.
Bournemouth missed an opportunity to close in on the play-off places, and stay four points adrift of sixth-placed Stevenage having played four more games.
VIEWS FROM THE DRESSING ROOM
Rochdale manager John Coleman told BBC Radio Manchester:
"I think on the balance of play we just about deserved to win.
Defence improvement pleases Coleman
"We said to the lads we've got to keep knocking on the door and eventually it will open for us and it did, albeit so late.
"I think in the three games we've played we've defended really well but we've got a lot of games to go we've got to defend well in.
"We've got a long, long way to go and every game we play from now until the end of the season is going to be difficult."
Lee Bradbury tells BBC Radio Solent Sport:
"I think we should have at least had a point out of the game. But I looked at the penalty decision and I think it's a penalty.
Cherries deserved a point - Bradbury
"The most disappointing thing is coming here and getting anything. We rolled our sleeves up for periods of the game but not the whole game.
"It's going to be difficult with teams above us with games in hand - we're relying on them to slip up.
"You have got to go to the hard places and get results."