Aldershot Town’s seven-game unbeaten run came to an end as they slipped to a 2-0 defeat at home to National League high-fliers Rochdale.

Emmanuel Dieseruvwe’s double gave the visitors all three points in front of a crowd of 2,822 at the EBB Stadium.

The Shots created their first chance of the afternoon in the tenth minute when Hady Ghandour’s excellent cross from the left picked out Cameron Hargreaves, whose goalbound volley was blocked by team-mate Kwame Thomas.

The hosts went close again on 14 minutes when James Henry’s inviting free kick found Sam Inwood at the back post, who fired his shot over the bar.

Rochdale took the lead in the 17th minute when Devante Rodney played a superb through ball to Dieseruvwe, who took a couple of touches before producing a composed finish past Shots keeper Coniah Boyce-Clarke into the bottom left-hand corner of the net.

Aldershot nearly equalised two minutes later when Inwood’s cross eventually dropped to Thomas in the box, whose close-range shot was superbly blocked by Dale keeper Oliver Whatmuff. Henry's follow up shot was then blocked, before Hargreaves fired his effort over the bar.

The Shots went close again on 38 minutes when Charlie Warren got in behind Rochdale’s defence on the right-hand channel and cut the ball back to Ghandour, whose effort was blocked by Ryan East. Henry played the resulting corner to the unmarked Ryan Hill on the edge of the box, who fired his powerful effort just over the bar.

Dale had a chance to double their advantage in first-half stoppage time when Rodney cut in from the right, but he fired his left-foot shot from the edge of the box well over the bar.

Shots boss John Coleman made one change at half-time, with Christy Grogan replacing Inwood.

Dale doubled their advantage in the 50th minute when Dieseruvwe got the ball on the edge of the box and rifled his shot past Boyce-Clarke into the left-hand corner of the net.

The visitors nearly went 3-0 up two minutes later when Rodney drove into the box from the right and hit a low shot which was well blocked by Boyce-Clarke.

The Shots had an excellent chance to pull a goal back on 54 minutes when Hill's cross picked out the unmarked Thomas in the box, who put his diving header over the bar.

Coleman made a double substitution in the 57th minute, with Brody Peart and Luke Jenkins replacing Thomas and Matt Penney.

Aldershot’s boss had to make an enforced change ten minutes later, with Tyler Frost replacing the injured Ghandour. Coleman made his fifth and final substitution on 71 minutes, with Ryheem Sheckleford replacing Henry.

Rochdale nearly scored a third in the 72nd minute when Joe Pritchard fired a ball across goal which Dieseruvwe diverted over the bar.

The Shots pushed for a way back into the game and went close on 76 minutes when Hargreaves dragged his left-foot shot from the edge of the box just wide of the right-hand post.

Rochdale managed the closing stages professionally as they picked up all three points to keep up their promotion push.

Next up for the Shots is a trip to Forest Green Rovers in the National League on Saturday, March 7 (3pm kick-off).