ST Helens Town lost their 100 per cent record on Saturday when, having led 2-0, slipped to a disappointing 3-2 defeat to a lively Rochdale side, in the first league meeting between the teams.

The visitors have so far had to play all their matches away from home, because they ground-share with Mayfield rugby league club and their league standing, just on the heels of the leading clubs in the First Division, gives a rather misleading impression of their ability.

Maybe this contributed to Town’s lacklustre performance, as they went two goals up, but they came up short once Rochdale found their stride, pulling back one goal just before half-time.

St Helens went ahead in spectacular style on six minutes, when Marcus Perry set up Johan du Toit twenty yards out and the midfielder netted his first goal for the club with a tremendous drive.

Captain Andy Gillespie doubled the home side’s lead after 35 minutes when he lashed home an unstoppable shot from 15 yards and minutes later, Jack Marshall hit the left post with another shot and just failed to bury the rebound, hit attempt going wide of the far post.

At that stage, Town appeared to be cruising, but the game turned on its head in the closing minute of the first half, when a defensive error set up Liam Bennion, who lobbed St Helens’ keeper Graham McLoughlin with a perfectly placed drive into the top corner of the home net.

The sides went in with Town leading 2-1, but only Rochdale emerged after the break.

St Helens looked heavy-legged and clueless in attack and it was only a matter of time before Rochdale took advantage.

The equaliser arrived six minutes in, following another defensive mistake and Jonny Thompson latched on to a failed clearance and his trickling shot found the inside of McLoughlin’s left post, just out of his reach.

The visitors stepped up their game and, shortly afterwards, Matty Lennon had to clear another shot off his line with McLoughlin beaten. Rochdale took the lead for the first time on the hour mark, when Bennion strode through a huge gap in the home defence to finish just inside the other post.

St Helens simply had no answer.

They looked like a racehorse, clear of its field and seemingly easing to victory, only to be caught and passed in the closing stages, then finding it impossible to regain its stride and claw back the lead. Rochdale themselves spurned two glorious chances to make the points safe before Town began to wake up in the closing minutes.

With time running out fast, Marshall broke through and set up Gillespie who tried to lob Michael Smith, but the visitors’ keeper plucked the ball out of the air to deny the leveller and, with only seconds remaining, with Smith way out of his goal, Jordan Forde reacted quickly and shot from 20 yards towards the open net, but his last-ditch attempt rolled agonisingly past the right hand post.

Town will learn much from this setback.

Although they have dropped down a level, there are many teams in this division more than capable of giving them a game and promotion will be no easy matter.

Nevertheless, a quick return to winning ways will be needed to get the club back on course. This Saturday sees Town go to Winterton Rangers in the FA Vase and if the scores are level after 90 minutes, extra time will be played.

If the game still cannot be decided, there will be a replay at Brocstedes Park on Tuesday evening, kick off 7.45pm.

If Town win through, they will visit either Parkgate or Rochdale Town in the next round on 3 October.

St Helens Town are due to visit Litherland REMYCA on Wednesday evening in a First Division game, but if either side is involved in a replay after Saturday’s ties, that game will be postponed.