Blues twice held the lead, but succumbed to the home side's late goal flurry.

Veteran Dennis Hill gave the Blues the perfect start on 5 minutes, but, after having a second chalked off for offside, Nelson conceded late in the half to a Kristian Evans volley.

Jerome Matthews grabbed his second in two games to restore Nelson's lead ten minutes into the second half, but a disputed penalty just after the hour brought Rochdale level.

And Evans it was who grabbed another three - the last a cracking low volley into the bottom right corner from a right wing cross - in the closing 12 minutes to break a tiring Nelson.