Aldershot Town slipped into the National League relegation zone after falling to a narrow 1-0 defeat at high-flying Rochdale on Saturday.

Harvey Gilmour’s second-half goal proved to be the difference between the two sides, as Dale claimed all three points against the Shots in front of a crowd of 2,295 at the Crown Oil Arena.

The hosts nearly took the lead early on when Connor McBride’s free kick found Ethan Ebanks-Landell, whose effort was well parried away by Shots keeper Pat Nash.

The Shots enjoyed a strong spell in the middle of the first half, with Kiban Rai firing a shot off target before Ryheem Sheckleford’s effort from outside the area was held by Dale keeper Oliver Whatmuff.

Ryan Hill then tried his luck for the Shots with a curling effort from the edge of the box in the 41st minute which was well held by Whatmuff.

The hosts almost took the lead just before half-time when Ryan East’s effort flashed wide of the target, but the Shots managed to get to the break on level terms at 0-0.

Aldershot’s Keane Anderson was booked in the 55th minute for a shirt pull, although the Shots nearly took the lead on the hour mark when Rai cut the ball back to Cameron Hargreaves on the edge of the box, but Hargreaves couldn’t get enough power on his shot.

Nash was called into action a minute later when he made a point-blank save to deny Mani Dieseruvwe.

The hosts went close again shortly afterwards when Devante Rodney’s shot went just wide.

Rochdale weren’t to be denied and they took the lead in the 65th minute when Tobi Adebayo-Rowling’s cross found Gilmour, who fired home.

The Shots pushed for an equaliser and Rai found himself in a promising position on 77 minutes, but he overhit his cross.

Shots boss John Coleman made a double change two minutes later, with Hady Ghandour and James Henry replacing Kwame Thomas and Rai.

Aldershot struggled to create a clear-cut chance late on, and Henry was booked in stoppage time as the visitors slipped to defeat.

The Shots will hope to return to winning ways when they host local rivals Woking at the EBB Stadium on Saturday, November 22 (12.30pm kick-off).

Aldershot Town: Nash, Taylor, Nightingale, Armitage, Sheckleford, Anderson, Hargreaves, Jones, Hill, Thomas (Ghandour 79), Rai (Henry 79).

Substitutes not used: Dewhurst, Jackson, Penney, Frost, Tetek.