Nicky Adams' late winner lifted Rochdale out of the relegation zone as Preston's poor league run continued.

Dale's Gary Jones had a penalty saved by Thorsten Stuckmann after Conor McLaughlin had fouled Harry Bunn.

Preston, who have now failed to win in their last eight league matches, should have scored but Neil Mellor hit the woodwork from only three yards out.

That miss proved costly as Adams tapped in a rebound after Stuckmann had saved an earlier effort from Andrew Tutte.

VIEWS FROM THE DRESSING ROOM

Rochdale manager Steve Eyre told BBC Radio Manchester:

"Winning sends you through the roof temporarily but what we've got to do is keep our feet on the floor and go again.

"I'm equally pleased with the clean sheet, as well as the goal and I've just said to the players I thought they were brilliant.

"Winning is intoxicating and you want more of it, but we were never too disheartened from the way we were playing."

Lineup, Bookings (2) & Substitutions (6)

Preston North End

  • 01 Stuckmann
  • 03 McLaughlin
  • 05 Carlisle
  • 06 Morgan
  • 08 Coutts
  • 16 Mayor (Nicholson - 60' )
  • 17 Parry Booked
  • 22 Alexander
  • 36 Clark (Barton - 54' )
  • 11 Tsoumou (Mellor - 25' )
  • 34 Forte

Substitutes

  • 25 Arestidou
  • 12 McLean
  • 10 Nicholson
  • 15 Barton
  • 33 Mellor

Rochdale

  • 23 Lucas
  • 04 Holness
  • 17 Holden
  • 22 Jordan
  • 06 Barry-Murphy
  • 07 Kennedy
  • 08 Jones
  • 09 Bunn Booked
  • 10 Grimes (Tutte - 82' )
  • 11 Adams (Eccleston - 89' )
  • 27 Bergkamp (Akpa Akpro - 73' )

Substitutes

  • 21 Edwards
  • 02 Darby
  • 16 Tutte
  • 24 Eccleston
  • 26 Akpa Akpro
Ref: Langford
Att: 10,456

Match Stats

Shots

12 7

On target

2 2

Corners

6 2

Fouls

16 8

Live Text Commentary

90:00 +5:12 Full time

Full Time The match has reached full-time.

90:00 +4:52

Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro is caught offside. Free kick taken by Graham Alexander.

90:00 +4:24

The official flags Andrew Tutte offside. Indirect free kick taken by Thorsten Stuckmann.

90:00 +3:27

Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro is penalised for handball and concedes a free kick. Graham Alexander restarts play with the free kick.

90:00 +1:25

The assistant referee signals for offside against Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro. Thorsten Stuckmann takes the direct free kick.

90:00 +0:11

Neil Mellor fouled by Dean Holden, the ref awards a free kick. Paul Parry takes the direct free kick.

88:49 Substitution

Substitution Nathan Eccleston is brought on as a substitute for Nicky Adams.

88:11 Booking

Booking Paul Parry receives a yellow card.

87:14

Graham Alexander concedes a free kick for a foul on Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro. Free kick taken by Brian Barry-Murphy.

85:40

Andrew Tutte produces a right-footed shot from deep inside the penalty box which goes wide of the left-hand upright.

84:57

Outswinging corner taken by Paul Parry from the right by-line.

83:55 Booking

Booking The referee cautions Harry Bunn for unsporting behaviour.

83:07

Harry Bunn provided the assist for the goal.

83:07 Goal scored

Goal - Nicky Adams - Preston 0 - 1 Rochdale Nicky Adams finds the net with a goal from inside the area low into the middle of the goal. Preston 0-1 Rochdale.

82:07

Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Thorsten Stuckmann takes the indirect free kick.

81:11 Substitution

Substitution Andrew Tutte comes on in place of Ashley Grimes.

79:38

Conor McLaughlin takes a shot. Stephen Jordan manages to make a clearance.

78:04

Paul Coutts takes a shot. David Lucas makes a save.

75:47

Effort on goal by Neil Mellor from just inside the area clears the crossbar.

74:24

Harry Bunn concedes a free kick for a foul on Conor McLaughlin. Thorsten Stuckmann restarts play with the free kick.

73:29

Foul by Paul Coutts on Brian Barry-Murphy, free kick awarded. Brian Barry-Murphy takes the direct free kick.

72:14

Paul Parry restarts play with the free kick.

72:14 Substitution

Substitution Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro is brought on as a substitute for Roland Bergkamp.

72:14

Roland Bergkamp challenges Paul Parry unfairly and gives away a free kick.

69:37

Harry Bunn takes a shot. Save made by Thorsten Stuckmann.

68:46

Dean Holden sends in a cross, save by Thorsten Stuckmann.

66:31

Neil Mellor challenges Jason Kennedy unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Stephen Jordan.

65:58

The assistant referee flags for offside against Barry Nicholson. Free kick taken by David Lucas.

63:50

Adam Barton has an effort at goal from outside the box which goes wide right of the goal.

63:16

Graham Alexander fouled by Gary Jones, the ref awards a free kick. Craig Morgan takes the direct free kick.

60:58

Paul Coutts takes a shot. Marcus Holness gets a block in. Short corner taken by Paul Parry from the right by-line.

60:22

Effort on goal by Adam Barton from inside the box misses to the right of the target.

59:23 Substitution

Substitution Barry Nicholson joins the action as a substitute, replacing Danny Mayor.

57:52

Neil Mellor has an effort at goal from close in which goes wide left of the goal.

57:17

The assistant referee signals for offside against Roland Bergkamp. Thorsten Stuckmann takes the free kick.

56:49

Graham Alexander takes a shot. Blocked by Marcus Holness.

55:43 Penalty

Placed penalty taken by Gary Jones saved by Thorsten Stuckmann. Preston 0-0 Rochdale.

55:01

Foul by Conor McLaughlin on Harry Bunn, Penalty awarded.

54:36

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Roland Bergkamp by Craig Morgan. Jason Kennedy takes the free kick.

53:39

Harry Bunn produces a right-footed shot from deep inside the penalty box which goes wide of the left-hand upright.

53:39 Substitution

Substitution Adam Barton comes on in place of Luke Clark.

52:40

Harry Bunn produces a right-footed shot from the edge of the area and misses to the left of the target.

51:49

Unfair challenge on Dean Holden by Neil Mellor results in a free kick. Stephen Jordan takes the free kick.

47:19

The assistant referee flags for offside against Harry Bunn. Indirect free kick taken by Thorsten Stuckmann.

45:04

Craig Morgan challenges Harry Bunn unfairly and gives away a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Brian Barry-Murphy.

45:01

The referee gets the second half started.

45:00 +1:30 Half time

Half Time The players leave the pitch at half time.

44:43

Graham Alexander produces a left-footed shot from just outside the penalty box that misses to the left of the target.

42:43

Unfair challenge on Brian Barry-Murphy by Jonathan Forte results in a free kick. David Lucas restarts play with the free kick.

41:38

The assistant referee signals for offside against Neil Mellor. David Lucas restarts play with the free kick. Unfair challenge on Graham Alexander by Harry Bunn results in a free kick. Craig Morgan takes the free kick.

40:19

The ball is swung over by Luke Clark, Nicky Adams gets a block in. Corner taken right-footed by Luke Clark from the left by-line, save by David Lucas.

39:29

Free kick awarded for a foul by Harry Bunn on Graham Alexander. Free kick taken by Craig Morgan.

38:59

Unfair challenge on Dean Holden by Neil Mellor results in a free kick. Free kick taken by David Lucas.

38:18

Ashley Grimes produces a right-footed shot from inside the area that clears the bar.

36:00

Inswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Brian Barry-Murphy.

34:30

Unfair challenge on Harry Bunn by Craig Morgan results in a free kick. Nicky Adams delivers the ball from the free kick right-footed from left channel, Thorsten Stuckmann makes a save.

34:30

Foul by Craig Morgan on Harry Bunn, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by Nicky Adams.

33:08

Foul by Graham Alexander on Nicky Adams, free kick awarded. The free kick is swung in left-footed by Brian Barry-Murphy, clearance made by Clarke Carlisle.

31:23

Craig Morgan concedes a free kick for a foul on Roland Bergkamp. Jason Kennedy takes the free kick. Inswinging corner taken by Paul Parry.

25:56

Paul Coutts delivers the ball, Jonathan Forte has a header from inside the six-yard box and clears the crossbar.

24:43 Substitution

Substitution Neil Mellor replaces Juvhel Tsoumou.

24:01

Juvhel Tsoumou is caught offside. David Lucas takes the indirect free kick.

23:19

Harry Bunn sends in a cross, Thorsten Stuckmann makes a save.

21:33

The referee blows for offside against Ashley Grimes. Thorsten Stuckmann restarts play with the free kick.

20:08

Inswinging corner taken by Paul Parry from the right by-line, David Lucas makes a save. Juvhel Tsoumou gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on David Lucas. Direct free kick taken by David Lucas.

19:54

The assistant referee flags for offside against Harry Bunn. Indirect free kick taken by Thorsten Stuckmann.

19:11

Gary Jones has an effort at goal from just outside the box which goes wide of the right-hand upright.

14:48

Free kick awarded for a foul by Conor McLaughlin on Harry Bunn. Brian Barry-Murphy takes the free kick.

13:06

Jonathan Forte is adjudged to have handled the ball. David Lucas restarts play with the free kick.

11:39

Danny Mayor produces a cross, Close range header by Juvhel Tsoumou goes wide of the left-hand post.

10:00

Paul Coutts takes a shot. Blocked by Stephen Jordan. Corner taken by Paul Parry, save by David Lucas.

9:21

Unfair challenge on Conor McLaughlin by Roland Bergkamp results in a free kick. Thorsten Stuckmann takes the direct free kick.

8:35

Jason Kennedy fouled by Luke Clark, the ref awards a free kick. David Lucas takes the direct free kick.

6:43

Jonathan Forte challenges Gary Jones unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Marcus Holness.

4:34

Corner taken by Brian Barry-Murphy from the right by-line, Marcus Holness challenges Clarke Carlisle unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Thorsten Stuckmann.

0:54

Roland Bergkamp is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Craig Morgan takes the direct free kick.

0:00

The match gets underway.

Live text and data provided by The Press Association