Last minute goals have become a Carlisle trademark in recent times, but Ian Atkins side had to endure being on the receiving end as Rochdale grabbed all three points, through a Lee Todd injury time winner.
Although Dale produced the better football, the Cumbrians will feel a little hard done by as they created the better chances in the game.
Manager Ian Atkins said: "I thought the performance was probably the best we have put in at home. We created numerous chances that didn't fall our way and got done by two sucker punches with goals they didn't create; we gave them away. We should have defended the corner better and the free-kick was disappointing. We have got to learn to concentrate on doing the right things and we will win a lot more games. The more edgy you get trying to force the win makes you do things out of the ordinary and you don't play as well as a team."
After a sluggish start the game burst into life when the visitors took a 16th minute lead when a Dave Bayliss near post corner was headed home by the unmarked Clive Platt.
The home side almost got back into the game on 30 minutes when an Ian Stevens header was tipped over the bar by Dale's Neil Edwards.
On 37 minutes the Cumbrians equaliser came when a Tony Hemmings corner was met by an unmarked Ian Stevens, who headed in at the far post for his fourth goal in four games.
A minute later only a desperate last ditch Mark Monnington tackle stopped Scott Dobie as he was through on goal.
After the break Rochdale dominated early on and goal saving tackles by Mark Winstanley and Stuart Whitehead kept the Cumbrians in the game. In between the Cumbrians went close when a 56th minute Dobie header went narrowly wide.
The killer goal came three minutes into injury time when substitute Jamie Squires was judged to have fouled Paul Ware on the edge of the box. Ware ran over the ball allowing Lee Todd to hit a stunning left foot free kick, passed the suspect Cumbrian defensive wall, into the bottom right hand corner of Luke Weaver's net.
Tuesday nights home match against Chesterfield will now be a test of character for Ian Atkins team, who need to get back on track following this disappointing defeat.
Carlisle United: Weaver; Birch, Whitehead, Darby (Squires 84), Winstanley, Hemmings, Soley, Prokas, Dobie, Heggs, Stevens. Subs not used: Pitts, Carss, Tracey, Lee.
Goals: Stevens 37.
Bookings: None.
Rochdale: Edwards; Evans, Oliver (Davies 45), Hill (Monnington 26), Flitcroft, Ware, Todd, Bayliss, Jones, Hadland, Platt. Subs not used: Priestley, Ford, Hamilton.
Goals: Platt 16, Todd 90.
Bookings: Platt (71).
Attendance: 3,906
Referee: M. Clattenburg (Cramlington)
