Dale deliver at Sixfields as Cobblers suffer first defeat of the season

Josh Andrews scored the decisive goal 17 minutes from time and the visitors were good value for all three points after bossing much of the contest, with Abraham Odoh adding the gloss via a stoppage-time third.

Jon Guthrie's second goal in two games cancelled out Max Taylor's opener three minutes earlier during a relatively even first-half, but overall Town's performance was a long way short of what manager Jon Brady would have wanted or expected.

Bar Guthrie's goal, the Cobblers created little as their perfect start to the new season came to a crashing end.

Sid Nelson replaced the suspended Fraser Horsfall in the only change from last weekend's victory at Colchester United.

Cobblers made all the early running and had a series of set-piece situations in the opening 15 minutes but there was nothing to worry visiting goalkeeper Jay Lynch.

They then conceded in the league for the first time this season when Dale struck against the run of play. Taylor got free inside the box and guided Aaron Morley's deep cross beyond the helpless Liam Roberts.

The response from Town was instant.

Within three minutes, Sam Hoskins won a free-kick and Mitch Pinnock delivered an excellent ball towards the penalty spot where the onrushing Guthrie planted a firm header into the far corner for his second goal in two games.

Those were the only real chances of an even and keenly-fought first-half, although Dale did look increasingly dangerous and started to impose themselves more and more as half-time approached.

Their two wing-backs stretched the play and the visitors also found space between the lines, while Town's best moments came on the counter-attack, however the services of neither Lynch nor Roberts were needed in the remainder of the opening 45 minutes.

Dale took the game by the scruff of the neck in the second-half as Josh Andrews skied over before Guthrie and Shaun McWilliams combined to scramble the ball away after a bit of ping-pong in Town's penalty box.

Rochdale were hardly peppering the home side's goal but they were deservedly back in front with 17 minutes to play when Nelson tried and failed to play offside and Andrews had the freedom of Sixfields to slot past Roberts.

That gave the home side little time to respond and they never really looked like doing so, with Lynch not required to make another save.

Cobblers did have one big chance in six minutes of stoppage-time but Guthrie headed wide.

Moments after that, Danny Cashman slipped in Odoh and he blazed into the roof of the net to wrap up all three points.

Match facts

Cobblers: Roberts, McGowan, Nelson, Guthrie, Mills (c), McWilliams (Connolly 78), Lewis, Hoskins, Pinnock, Kabamba (Ashley-Seal 63), Etete (Rose 63)

Subs not used: Maxted, Koiki, Pollock, Flores

Rochdale: Lynch, O'Keeffee, Taylor (c), Dooley, Morley, Graham (Dorsett 45), Done (Keohane 45), Odoh, Andrews (Cashman 78), Newby

Subs not used: McNulty, Brierley, Dunne, Coleman

Referee: Carl Brook

Attendance: 4,870

Dale fans: 221