Hardly Athletic's four game unbeaten run came to an abrupt halt, after they were defeated by league leaders Costa Del Stoke.
It was Hardly's fifth defeat of the campaign, but third to Del Stoke after previous defeats in the league and cup.
The game started with both sides cancelling each other out and Hardly knew they could ill afford the mad spells that have blighted them during the past fifteen months in the league.
The scores were still deadlocked after the first round of substitutions but then a couple of defensive errors saw Costa build a lead.
Firstly a square ball by James Robins was intercepted in front of goal, the ball hammered past an exposed Dale in goal, before the lead was doubled when Joe Gordon tried to dribble the ball out, was dispossessed and again Dale found himself with no cover as the striker picked his spot.
A third was added before half time and then Costa continued to pull away after the break, adding a fourth and fifth late on, to leave Hardly's promotion dreams hanging by a thread.