Robbie Stockdale hailed Rochdale’s 1-0 win over Tranmere as the most satisfying of his short reign.

The former Middlesbrough defender took charge at Dale in the summer and has overseen an overhaul of the playing staff, bringing in 10 new players.

But they have gelled quickly and one of the new boys, Danny Cashman, fired the only goal of the game against Rovers after coming off the bench.

The striker, on a season-long loan from Coventry, scored with a neat finish after 84 minutes to secure the three points for the home side.

“Tranmere are a very difficult side to break down, defensively they are very good and I think they will be up there challenging at the end of the season,” said Stockdale. “It’s probably the most pleasing win I’ve had so far given the standard of the opposition.

“Danny Cashman took his goal really well. He has been unlucky not to be in the starting line-up, but all I can ask of the players who come on is to have an impact, as all our subs have done.

“Danny is a very intelligent player, a bit different to other players we have here and it’s great to have options.

“Tranmere had the best chance of the game right at the end and probably should have scored, but I think we’d have been disappointed even to draw the game because I thought we were the better team.”

Rovers certainly had their moments and struck the woodwork twice. Josh Hawkes blasted against the foot of a post from 20 yards in the first half and substitute Sam Foley could only send a side-footed effort against the woodwork with Joel Coleman’s goal at his mercy in added time.

Tranmere also had to cope with the loss of goalkeeper Joe Murphy, who collided with one of his team-mates and was taken off on a stretcher suffering from concussion early in the second half. He was taken to hospital as a precaution.

“It was a game that was always going to be decided by one of those moments,” said Tranmere boss Micky Mellon. “We both had them, but unfortunately it was us that made the mistake that proved the difference between the two teams.

“We had a great opportunity to equalise at the end and we hit the post for the second time. It’s a sore one to take.

“We’re a new group and we’re learning all the time. It does call for patience, but we need to win games of football, that’s what we’re all about at Tranmere. So we are disappointed that we’ve lost a game of football and, like we always do, we’ll show that resilience we have and move forward again.”