Rochdale's slim hopes of extending their season through the play-offs faded away at the hands of this season's party-poopers Barnet.

The Bees ended Stockport's record making run, halted Hartlepool's charge towards the title and threw a spanner in the works at Spotland following a lack-lustre display by Rochdale.

Dale manager Keith Hill made two changes to his starting line up with Mark Jackson coming in for the injured Lee Crooks and a surprise inclusion in Louis Dodds taking the place of Chris Dagnall in attack.

Things could have started on so well for the home side but for visiting 'keeper Lee Harrison. His save on three minutes prevented Dale taking a very early strangle hold on the game after Murray won the ball in the centre. The Rochdale striker stabbed the ball out wide to Rundle who in turn centred for Perkins to put in a header that Harrison did well to palm away at full stretch following a deflection.

Barnet had certainly done their homework on Dale and snubbed out any threat the flanks posed, getting two players across to block any advancement from Dale.

It left Hill's side frustrated and it showed with hurried passes often incomplete as the home side ran out of ideas. With 24 minutes played Barnet took the lead after Adam Birchall took advantage of some sleepy defending by Dale. His low cross from the left was easily finished off from eight-yards out by Cogan.

Dale continued to huff and puff but they'd arrive at the house made of bricks and their attempts to blow Barnet's house down failed miserably. The pitch didn't help either, it was lumpy and looked like the surface of the moon, tired and full of holes.

It was also a good description of the home side on 32 minutes when Barnet stretched their lead after a deep cross from the right by Cogan was brilliantly headed home by Dean Sinclair.

It could have got worse for Rochdale too after the very lively Birchall went clean through with ten minutes to go before the break but 'keeper Gilks denied the Barnet forward with his feet after he drove for home.

One player who came through the game with head held high was David Perkins. His energy and endeavour was joy to behold in the middle of the park and you felt if Rochdale were going to get something out of this one then he'd be involved somewhere along the line.

Just before the break Perkins put in a great run through the centre of midfield skipping round two Barnet players before laying ball out wide to Goodall. The defender played the ball to Dodds who held the ball up well before laying it off to Goodall who'd continued his run, but his shot flew over crossbar.

Rochdale boss Keith Hill made a positive switch at the start of the second half bringing Danny Reet and Chris Dagnall on for Louis Dodds and Ben Muirhead.

Barnet looked ready for the switch and seemed happy enough with a two goal lead to invite Dale forward and hit them on the counter.

Dale's lack of width also invited the fullbacks forward on occasion and good work down the right allowed Puncheon to get the better of Alan Goodall before before delivering a low centre that Liam Hatch somehow put over from close range.

The home side did manage to create some good chances after a decent spell of possession, but those chances were sadly missed. The best in a good spell for Rochdale fell to MansfieldTown loanee Danny Reet after Goodall crossed on the hour.

The ball floated over everyone and managed to find the feet of the substitute striker at the back post and he put the effort wide.

Matt Gilks was also showing his worth between the sticks with an impressive catalogue of saves with the best coming after 53 minutes palming out Puncheons 18-yard drive.

Barnet had a couple of great chances to put the game to bed when their tac-tic of sitting in and counter-attacking almost paid off. The visitors broke and squandered a five-on-two break came to nothing as Dale raced back to stub out the threat.

Danny Reet got his second chance to put Rochdale in with a fighting chance of getting something from the game after an Alan Goodall freekick from the left found his head, but he could only skim his header wide.

With 73 minutes played Alan Goodall went in on 'keeper Lee Harrison as both went for a loose ball. The ball popped out from the two bodies but before Goodall got up and Murray popped the ball home, the referee had blown for the freekick.

Barnet's Joe Devera got involved as Harrison lay on the ground earning himself and Alan Goodall a caution, despite the challenge looking honest enough.

The home side began to create many more openings and substitute Glenn Poole had a great chance to close the gap after good build and Reet through ball. Sadly Poole could only hammer the ball into the side netting.

Then Glenn Murray took advantage of a badly organised line to break the offside trap but his well struck effort was well saved by Harrison.

The resulting corner saw dale come close again with a clearance off the line form a Reet header by Yakubu, but his clearance fell to Rory McArdle who headed home though Dale celebrations were cut short after the official blew for a push and the effort was ruled out.

Barnet still posed a threat on the break and they once again failed to take of numerical advantage as Birchall and Co. drove forward. Thankfully for Rochdale Barnet's painfully slow decision-making became their undoing as they got into the Dale box allowing the home side to get back and clear.

Just before the end Rochdale had their third goal disallowed after Danny Reet drove a low shot off the post and off Murray who was racing in. The linesman on the far side flagged before signalling to the referee an arm was used to steer the ball home and sadly Mr. Haywood ruled it out.

So the play-off dream is over but we cannot forget how far we have come in the last few months. From bottom just before Christmas to a comfortable mid-table, a position many didn't envisaged in mid-December.