Wanderers drew 2-2 against a strong Rochdale side in the Central League Cup after a spirited display at Spotland.

Conor Carty and Matt Tweedley put the Whites two goals ahead, but the hosts hit back through Scott Quigley’s brace.

Several members of the Rochdale squad were involved against Hartlepool for the first team over the weekend.

The hosts had an early penalty appeal turned down by referee Lewis Dawson after Tahvon Campbell went down in the box under Sam Inwood’s challenge.

Campbell then came within inches of tapping home after Cameron John has delivered a dangerous low cross from the left wing.

Scott Quigley also sent a header wide of the post after getting on the end of Tyrese Sinclair’s corner.

But Wanderers managed to weather the early storm and went ahead when Carty found a pocket of space on the edge of the box and beat Richard O’Donnell with a brilliant low drive.

The Whites nearly doubled their lead minutes later but O’Donnell made a smart stop to deny Lynford Sackey after a well-worked counter attack involving Connor Stanley.

Quigley then missed the target after getting on the end of James Ball’s cross, before Mackenzie Chapman made a good stop to keep out Campbell’s strike across goal.

Things got even better for Wanderers early in the second half when Tweedley slotted home from close range after getting on the end of a lovely ball by Carty.

But Rochdale pulled one back when Quigley slotted home from close range after the Whites had failed to clear Ball’s cross. A couple of defenders felt there was a handball in the build-up but their appeals were waved away.

The forward should have had a second moments later after another dangerous cross from the right but he couldn’t keep his header down.

But he did manage to get his side back on level terms midway through the second half after Wanderers were undone by another attack down the right wing.

The Whites nearly restored their lead when Tweedley’s corner fell to Nelson Khumbeni, who was denied by a superb reaction save by O’Donnell.

Quigley could have had a third in the final stages but Chapman made a fine stop to his left. Lockett also had a chance to win it late on but was denied by O’Donnelly.

Chapman, Halford, Toure, Inwood, Sackey (Frimpong), Tweedley, Khumbeni, Pettifer, Lockett, Stanley (Jones), Carty.

Unused subs: Litherland, Burgess, Sharples