Two goals in the first half see Posh drop down to eighth in the Sky Bet League One table.
Peterborough United slipped to a 2-0 defeat the Crown Oil Arena against Rochdale with two goals in the first half condemning Grant McCann’s men to a frustrating defeat.
The home side were dealt a blow on seven minutes with Matt Done replaced by Jordan Slew, the former Sheffield United man limping out with what appeared to be a lower back injury. Calvin Andrew nodded a header wide of the upright moments later after a driven cross into the box.
Posh felt they should have been awarded a penalty kick on 18 minutes when Maddison was upended in the box by Rathbone, but the referee waved away the protests. Slew was cautioned for a foul on Doughty before Andrew fired well over the bar from 25-yards.
Maddison was denied at the near post by Lillis after a swift Posh counter-attack led by Marriott. Grant McCann’s men fell behind on 32 minutes as ANDREW did well to turn his man and curl past O’Malley from around 10-yards.
The lead was doubled on 36 minutes as CAMPS fired a free-kick into the net after Bunney had been upended by Da Silva Lopes on the edge of the penalty area. Lloyd fired wide from distance on 43 minutes after a poor defensive header from Henderson. Two minutes of added time was signalled by the fourth official.
Grant McCann made a triple substitution at the interval with Chris Forrester, Idris Kanu and Ricky Miller introduced for Doughty, Lloyd and Anderson. Lillis made a decent stop to deny Kanu after he met a Da Silva Lopes cross with a first time effort.
Henderson scooped an effort over the bar from a corner kick on 61 minutes. Rathbone was finally cautioned on 66 minutes after about his fifth foul of the game. Miller saw a right-footed shot gathered by Lillis by his near post on 73 minutes after being picked out by Da Silva Lopes.
O’Malley did well to beat a curling Henderson effort wide of the target on 77 minutes. Forrester had a go at the other end on 79 minutes but his deflected effort was comfortable in the end for Lillis. Miller fired straight at Lillis after a neat one two on 85 minutes.
Rochdale: Lillis, Rafferty, McNulty, McGahey, Andrew, Camps, Rathbone, Done (sub Slew 7min, sub Gillam 60min)), Daniels, Bunney (sub Ntlhe 74min), Henderson. Unused subs: Davies, Moore, Cannon, Kitching.
Posh: O’Malley, Baldwin, Hughes, Taylor, Grant, Da Silva Lopes, Anderson (sub Forrester 46min), Doughty (sub Kanu 46min), Lloyd (sub Miller 46min), Maddison, Marriott. Unused subs: Bond, Tafazolli, Penny, Chettle.
Half-time: Rochdale 2-0 Peterborough United
Full-time: Rochdale 2-0 Peterborough United
Attendance: 2,555