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FIRST-HALF goals by Benik Afobe and Gary Roberts brought Town a valuable three-point derby haul.

Lee Clark’s men held off Rochdale’s late push after Gary Jones netted in time added on, and are now just a point behind second-placed Bournemouth, who were beaten 2-0 at Exeter.

But the victory came at a high price, with flair player Anthony Pilkington sustaining a suspected broken left ankle 13 minutes into the second period.

Town players looked distressed as their teammate was lifted onto a stretcher and treated on the pitch for five minutes, and it was a further three before he was manoeuvred behind the Pink Link goal and to an ambulance.

Galpharm boss Clark had made four changes, with Alex Smithies back in place of injured keeper Ian Bennett for a first outing since mid-January. Right-back Jack Hunt and strikers Jordan Rhodes, once a Rochdale loan player, and Afobe were the others to come in.

They replaced Lee Peltier, starting a four-match suspension after his red card at Yeovil, Chris Atkinson and Lee Novak.

This was only the 16th ever league meeting between the teams and play-off chasing Rochdale came eager to bounce back from their 4-1 home loss to MK Dons, a first defeat in 12.

Boss Keith Hill gave a start to striker Liam Dickinson, on loan from Barnsley, while fellow former Town player, left-back Robbie Williams, was on the bench.

Town made the early running, forcing a third-minute corner, taken by Roberts and headed clear by Craig Dawson, before Kevin Kilbane’s dangerous looking run into the penalty area was halted by Marcus Holness.

Rochdale’s first attack came in the eighth minute, when Jason Kennedy shot over from distance.

And after referee Nigel Miller controversially awarded the visitors a 14th-minute corner when no Town player appeared to touch Joe Widdowson’s ball into the box, Smithies made a fine save as Chris O’Grady met the flag kick with a powerful header.

Afobe headed over from Hunt’s cross as Town responded quickly with an attack of their own.

Antony Kay made a key clearance from another corner in the 20th minute, but Town were knocking the ball around neatly and forced two corners in succession before Afobe struck for the breakthrough goal in the 25th minute.

Roberts did the groundwork with a good run and cross from the right and when Holness blocked Rhodes’ shot, Afobe followed up to shoot home his fourth Town goal and first in the league from just inside the area.

Rhodes was showing his value in defence as well as attack, twice clearing from corners, before Roberts, having provided the assist for the first goal, took centre stage as Town went two up eight minutes later.

Taking possession on the left-hand corner of the penalty area and spotting Owain Fon Williams off his line, Roberts left the keeper helpless with a dinked left-foot chip into the opposite corner of the net – a stylish 11th goal of the season.

Rochdale remained dangerous, however, carving out four chances before the break as an ankle injury forced Town to replace Kay with Jamie McCombe.

Jones had a shot saved by Smithies and fired against the Town stopper’s left-hand post either side of a Dickinson’s drive which went just wide, then O’Grady’s angled effort from the left was only inches off going in.

The Lancastrians were back on the attack at the start of the second half, when Holness’s header from a corner was blocked before Will Atkinson, who was in a good position, miscued his shot from Dickinson’s pass.

The game understandable lost its pattern after Pilkington was injured.

Town, with Danny Cadamarteri on for Rhodes and Alan Lee replacing Pilkington, were trying to push forward, but Rochdale created the next clear-cut chance, when Jones’ 78th-minute shot was deflected for a corner.

Lee’s 83rd-minute run towards goal was stopped by Widdowson while a minute later, Afobe broke down the right and held off two challengers to unleash a shot which was well saved by Fon Williams.

Rochdale skipper Jones finally claimed a goal six minutes into the eight added on when Peter Clarke’s block rebounded into his path and he netted with a low drive which deflected in off the diving Smithies.

But the highly-rated keeper pulled off a fine save from substitute Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro’s header to deny Rochdale a share of the spoils and keep Town’s promotion push on course.