Lee Thorpe's brace saw Rochdale condemn Notts County to their first home defeat since March.

County lose unbeaten home record with 2-1 defeat

Lee Thorpe's brace gave in-form Rochdale their third win in a week and handed Notts County their first home defeat since March. Jamie Forrester's penalty had given the hosts the lead two minutes after half-time, but Dale cranked up the pressure and equalised 16 minutes later. Substitute Will Buckley was tackled down the left and Thorpe picked up the ball to fire low into the bottom corner from 20 yards to equalise. That was before a fine Dale counter-attack ended with a slide rule pass from Buckley to put in Thorpe, who rounded goalkeeper Russell Hoult to score his fourth of the season and put his side ahead. Hoult then did well to produce two fine saves to deny first Gary Jones and then Joe Thompson as the visitors threatened to add a third. County had come out of the blocks quickly after the break to earn their penalty when Myles Weston was fouled by Thompson. Forrester found the bottom-left corner with the spot-kick but it was Thorpe who had the final say.