Aldershot Town suffered their first defeat in nine league games as they crashed to a 4-0 defeat against Rochdale in the National League on Saturday afternoon.

The game started off patiently as both sides looked happy to wait for the right moment to launch a killer final ball or rely on a defensive mistake.

Levi Laing pulled off a brilliant last-ditch challenge to deny a Rochdale break down the left, but from the resulting corner, the hosts opened the scoring.

A short corner routine was worked well and as Will Armitage slipped as he closed down Sam Beckwith, the Dale defender had time to find his spot and fire past Shots keeper Marcus Dewhurst on 15 minutes.

Ian Henderson was causing problems with his runs in behind the Aldershot defence and in the 18th minute he had to be denied by Dewhurst after he was found on the left and broke into the Shots box.

As the half-hour mark came round, the Shots were able to put some pressure on their hosts as Josh Barrett's smart ball cut through the Dale defence and played Cameron Hargreaves down the right of the box, but his cutback was cleared.

Jack Barham launched a first-time effort from the edge of the box over the bar in the 34th minute, but just two minutes later, Rochdale had their second of the game.

Aidan Barlow's effort from outside the area was saved by Dewhurst but fell to the feet of Devante Rodney who was able to turn the rebound in.

Henderson had another opportunity before half-time with another well-timed run behind the Shots defence but Dewhurst had rushed out quickly and was able to make the save.

The Shots were able to get two efforts on goal in the final minutes of the first-half – both coming from corners but missing the target – as Hargreaves fired wide after a short corner found him on the edge of the Dale box, and Luca Woodhouse headed wide in added time.

Rodney got his second of the game in the 54th minute as he won the ball in midfield and was able to drive forward and finish well past Dewhurst.

And just two minutes later, Dale had their fourth of the game as Rodney unselfishly squared the ball across goal despite being on his hat-trick and Henderson turned the ball in at the far post.

Rochdale could have had a fifth in the 68th minute as Kairo Mitchell was played through on goal, but Dewhurst stuck out a foot at full stretch to superbly deny the Dale striker who had just come on.

Aldershot were still looking to come away from the Crown Oil Arena with a goal to their name at least and Kai Corbett's introduction posed some fresh problems to the Dale defence.

In the 74th minute, his delivery into the middle from the left after receiving the ball back from a short corner found Armitage, but his header was straight at Killian Barrett.

Two minutes later, Corbett then saw what looked to be a good effort from the edge of the box blocked and Hargreaves' effort from further out on the rebound was just over the bar.

There was a late chance for the Shots when Maxwell Mullins saw his low shot saved by Barrett.