ROSSENDALE felt they were robbed of a point by an assistant referee who ruled that Ged Walsh's first half header hadn't crossed the line in the UniBond first division clash at Ashton.
Walsh powered a header from a 40th minute corner towards the goal, and the ball seemed a foot over the line but the official waved play on.
Dale's slim hopes of reaching the play-offs are now over with only one game of the season left to play.
Dale had come back well to level at 2-2 after falling two goals behind in the first half.
It took Jamie Miller just 54 seconds to open the scoring for Ashton as he pounced on a defensive mix-up to fire the ball past Mark Andrews.
The home side were making all the early running, Miller fired an effort over the bar and Greg Challender narrowly missed the mark after Jason Dormer had picked him out with a left wing cross.
The inevitable second arrived on 28 minutes, Phil Denney volleying home Chris Connelly's left wing cross to double Ashton's advantage.
The second goal seemed to stun Dale into action, and as well as Walsh's header, Jerome Fitzgerald brought out a magnificent save from Andy Johnston with his fierce shot from the edge of the box.
The second half saw the home side start brightly, Denney putting a good chance wide in the opening minute.
Ashton were having the majority of the ball but some resolute defending prevented them from creating any clear-cut chances and Dale started to force their way back into the match. The introduction of Jordan Rispin up front for Carl Howarth changed things dramatically, as Rispin's extra height and power started to cause the Ashton defence problems.
Chris Brooks pulled one back with 15 minutes remaining, thumping home a shot from the edge of the box after a loose ball rolled invitingly into his path and with just five minutes left it was 2-2.
Rispin's flicked header fell into the path of Walsh and he lobbed the ball over the keeper for the equaliser.
Promotion chasing Ashton pushed for the winner and were rewarded in the final minute as Denney pounced on a loose ball to fire home the winner.
ASHTON UTD...3 ROSSENDALE UTD...2
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