Coventry City suffered defeat at the Ricoh Arena after the visitors claimed the victory through a late penalty.
Ian Henderson stuck away the spot kick, placing it to the left of City keeper Reice Charles-Cook.
Jacob Murphy was rested as Ruben Lamerias came in on the wing while Joe Cole came in for Stephen Hunt. James Maddison was deployed at No.10 coming in for Marcus Tudgay as the back four remained unchanged for the third consecutive game.
The game was low on clear cut openings for most of the first half but City did come close with James Maddison on the half-hour mark. The Academy graduate rode one challenge and stepped over another, before firing a shot towards the bottom right, which Josh Lillis saved well.
Maddison had been at the heart of everything good for the Sky Blues in the first half, as the midfielder came close again five minutes later. Played into the left of the area, City’s No.10 treated the crowd to a couple of stepovers before firing just wide of the bottom left.
Sky Blues top scorer Adam Armstrong did manage to get the ball in the net five mintues from time but it was ruled offside. As the ball was played over the top, the forward guided it into the bottom left with a side-foot volley, but unfortunately he had gone to early.
Armstrong ,this time onside, had another effort four minutes later, as he rifled a right footed shot towards goal from 25 yards but the Dale keeper did well to save to his right.
At the restart, it was the Dale who almost registered the first goal of the game. Donal McDermott whipped in a corner from the right and it was helped on towards the left corner, but on loan defender Jack Stephens managed to clear it off the line.
The Dale came close again in the 70th minute but this time it was their own player that denied them the lead. Once again the chance came from a set-piece as the ball was crossed in from a corner on the left this time. Jim McNulty rose to nod home but Mathew Lund on the line, deflected it out.
Heading into the last ten minutes, the game started to pick up in intensity as both sides looked for that elusive goal. City came close in the 81st minute as the ball rolled to substitute Jacob Murphy but, his shot was straight at the keeper.
Armstrong had the ball in the net again in the 82nd minute but for the second time in the game it was ruled out for offside much to the dismay of the 9,000 Sky Blues in the stadium.
it into the bottom left to give the visitors the lead late on in the game. dispatchedHowever, despite City’s good pressure, Rochdale were awarded a penalty in the 88th minute as John Fleck conceded a foul. Dale skipper Ian Henderson That was to be how the game ended as the Sky Blues missed out on the three points.
Attendance 9542 (245 away)
Teams
Coventry City: Charles-Cook (GK), Ricketts (C), Stephens, Cargill (Lorentzson 46), Stokes, Vincelot, Fleck, Lameiras (Murphy 67), Cole (Antoine-Fortune 72), Maddison, Armstrong.
Subs: Addai (GK), Hunt, Rose, Henderson.
Rochdale AFC: Lillis (GK), Rafferty, McNulty, Eastham, Lund, McDermott (Camps 60), Canavan, Mendez-Laing (Holt 70), Allen, Rose, Henderson (C)
Subs: Collis (GK), Bennett, Vincenti, Holt, Hooper, Bunney.
YC: Camps