Rochdale secured a play-off place and kept alive their hopes of automatic promotion with a hard-fought victory over Morecambe at Spotland.

Morecambe proved difficult to break down and a scrappy first half ended goalless, with a strong breeze making life tough for both sides.

After the break Dale's Kallum Higginbotham fired just wide and a Rene Howe shot was saved by Scott Davies.

The goal came on 66 minutes when Gary Jones set Howe up to slam home.

Rochdale: Lee, Holness (D'Laryea 42), Stanton, McArdle, Kennedy, Higginbotham, Jones, Perkins, Rundle (Muirhead 62), Le Fondre (Dagnall 78), Howe.
Subs Not Used: Button, Montrose.

Booked: Holness.

Goals: Howe 66.

Morecambe: Scott Davies, Yates, Bentley, McStay, Adams, Curtis, Stanley (Newby 72), Hunter, Allen, Baker, Blinkhorn (Lloyd 72).
Subs Not Used: Artell, Burns, Jalal.

Booked: Yates, McStay.

Att: 3,706

Ref: Jon Moss (W Yorkshire).