Stockport County 1-0 Rochdale: Rochdale relegated from English Football League
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Rochdale failed to muster a shot on target in the first half
Rochdale's 102-year stay in the Football League came to an end with defeat against promotion-chasing Stockport County at Edgeley Park.
Dale needed to win to stand any chance of remaining in League Two next season - and hope Crawley Town failed to beat Hartlepool United in the battle of their two relegation rivals.
But Rochdale never looked like keeping their side of the bargain after finally succumbing to persistent home pressure when Tanto Olaofe struck deep into first-half injury time.
The visitors, who have now lost 26 of their 44 league fixtures this season, only managed one attempt on target throughout as County saw out a victory which puts them within a point of Stevenage in the third and final automatic place - albeit having played a game more.
Dale would have still gone down with victory as Crawley eased to a 2-0 win away against Hartlepool, to all but relegate Pools.
But chances of at least taking their tally of league wins to nine also never looked likely as their only attempt on goal was a curling effort from Danny Lloyd that drifted wide before the break
County, meanwhile, created numerous opportunities in the first half, with Paddy Madden, Myles Hippolyte, Fraser Horsfall, Neill Byrne, Ryan Croasdale, and Will Collar all going close.
Despite taking the lead through Olaofe's fine individual strike, Stockport's chances dried up in the second half, but they did not need the security of a second goal.
The Rochdale decline
To say it has been a miserable few years for Rochdale is something of an understatement.
Dale finished eighth in League One in 2014-15 on their return to the third tier, having been relegated in 2011-12.
A 10th-placed finish and ninth-placed finish followed in the two seasons afterwards as Rochdale established themselves as a team well run both on and off the pitch.
During the glory years at the tail end of the 2010s, Dale gave Manchester United a scare at Old Trafford, coming from a goal down to eventually lose on penalties.
Luke Matheson, then just 16 years old, scored the equaliser that night at what looked like the start of a blossoming career for the academy graduate.
This was an era of lucrative cup ties at Tottenham and Newcastle and lucrative moves off the pitch. Matheson joined Premier League side Wolves for £1m while Dan Adshead left for Norwich for £750,000.
But the good times screeched to a halt when Covid made its impact across the English football pyramid, with Dale's seven-season stay in League One coming to an end in 2021 under the management of Brian Barry-Murphy.
A hostile takeover failed during that summer and Rochdale maintained their position in League Two on their first season back last term, but things deteriorated in 2022-23.
Jim Bentley took over from Robbie Stockdale after the club lost their first four games of the season.
However, having won just six of his 32 league games, he was sacked in March and Jim McNulty has been unable to stop the downward spiral.
Rochdale interim boss Jim McNulty:
"First and foremost I'm absolutely devastated. I just feel so sorry for the fans because I know all about the long history of this club and to be going out of the league after more than 100 years is devastating.
"It's been a long, horrible season and at this moment I'm just really hurting, as we all are. I can totally understand the fans' anger and frustration but it's been on the cards.
"To be honest the fans were amazing, even though we showed very little as a team, particularly in the first half. I was fuming at half-time and I told the players. It just wasn't acceptable. From a confidence and a courage perspective, it just wasn't there. We rallied a bit in the second half but it was just a rally of confidence. We didn't threaten or hurt Stockport.
"The football club as a whole needs to be accountable for this. Too many things have gone wrong this season and this is the result."