Dale deny leaders

League Two leaders Gillingham saw their unbeaten start come to an end in front of their own fans on Saturday when Rochdale stunned Priestfield to leave with all three points.

John Coleman’s side were 7/2 outsiders to inflict the Gills’ first league defeat of the season, but prevailed 2-1 in Kent to claim a fourth win in six.

Martin Allen’s men found themselves a goal and a man down at half-time, after Andrew Tutte had given Dale the lead on 15 minutes and Danny Jackman was sent-off shortly after the half-hour mark.

Robert Grant netted his seventh of the campaign to double the visitors’ advantage in the second half, while Danny Kedwell’s ninth of the season for Gillingham proved to be a mere consolation.

Gillingham remain top, but their lead has been narrowed to three points, while Rochdale move up to seventh and into the play-off places. Their promotion odds have begun to shorten as a result and they are now 7/1 with BetVictor from 9/1 on Saturday.

At the other end, Bristol Rovers moved out of the relegation zone after their first victory of the campaign, courtesy of a 2-1 away win at Exeter.

The Grecians have now suffered back-to-back defeats and drop out of the automatic promotion spots, while Rovers leapfrogged Wycombe and Wimbledon into 21st.

The Gas were 3/1 to leave St James Park with their first three points of the season and obliged thanks to Eliot Richards’ winning goal 21 minutes from time. The deciding moment came shortly after Exeter’s Jamie Cureton had netted for the seventh time in 2012/13 to equalise David Clarkson’s early opener.

Odds on Rovers being relegated are subsequently on the drift, with Coral now offering 16/1 on them dropping down into the Conference.

Wycombe’s chances of relegation, however, are swiftly shortening, with Bet365 slashing their odds from 9/1 to 5/1 after a fourth successive defeat, this time 3-0 at Dagenham, who were previously without a win.

11/5 Port Vale scuppered Bradford’s unbeaten home record with a 1-0 victory at Valley Parade courtesy of Tom Pope’s ninth of the campaign, while York won their first game in five with a 2-0 triumph away at Aldershot.

Results: Cheltenham 2-0 Morecambe, Aldershot 0-2 York, Bradford 0-1 Port Vale, Burton 3-3 Northampton, Chesterfield 1-1 Torquay, Dagenham 3-0 Wycombe, Exeter 1-2 Bristol Rovers, Fleetwood 2-1 Barnet, Gillingham 1-2 Rochdale, Plymouth 1-1 Southend, Rotherham 3-1 Oxford, Wimbledon 1-2 Accrington

Rochdale to win promotion at 7/1