Rochdale were condemned to relegation from the Football League after 102 years as they lost 1-0 at high-flying Stockport.

As it happened Dale would have gone anyway due to Crawley's win at Hartlepool but they went down with a whimper at Edgeley Park.

Stockport, now unbeaten in 11 games, are just a single point shy of the automatic promotion places.

The home side went close early on when skipper Paddy Madden fired inches off target following Isaac Olaofe's neat lay-off.

Defender Fraser Horsfall then headed inches over as he met Myles Hippolyte's cross.

Stockport were dominating and Hippolyte nodded just off target as he stooped to meet Neill Byrne's cross.

Olaofe struck the decisive goal deep into first-half added time as he danced past two challenges before firing home clinically from 15 yards.

Rochdale's first decent half-chance came in the 53rd minute when Danny Lloyd curled a 20-yard drive over the crossbar and Stockport replied with Ryan Croasdale volleying over.

The final quarter of the game saw precious little goalmouth action as doomed Rochdale never looked like equalising.

McNulty devastated by relegation

Rochdale interim boss Jim McNulty:

"First and foremost I'm absolutely devasted. I just feel so sorry for the fans because I know all about the long history of this club and to be going out of the league after more than 100 years is devastating. It's been a long, horrible season and at this moment I'm just really hurting, as we all are.

"I can totally understand the fans' anger and frustration but it's been on the cards. To be honest the fans were amazing, even though we showed very little as a team, particularly in the first half.

"I was fuming at half-time and I told the players. It just wasn't acceptable. From a confidence and a courage perspective, it just wasn't there. We rallied a bit in the second half but it was just a rally of confidence. We didn't threaten or hurt Stockport.

"The football club as a whole needs to be accountable for this. Too many things have gone wrong this season and this is the result."

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