League Two's bottom club Rochdale have tonight sacked manager Jim Bentley.

The 46-year-old and his assistant Nick Chadwick have left the Spotland club.

The decision comes with Dale ten points adrift of safety and strong favourites to be relegated to the National League.

The club have put experienced defender Jim McNulty in caretaker charge until the end of the season.

Bentley had been appointed last August as a replacement for Robbie Stockdale.

But the ex-Morecambe and AFC Fylde manager has proved unable to lift Dale out of relegation trouble.

Their most recent game - a 2-0 defeat at relegation rivals Crawley Town on Saturday - proved the last straw.

It was a ninth defeat in 13 games, a period in which they have only won once.

Overall Dale have 26 points from six wins, eight draws and 24 defeats this season, leaving them six points below second-bottom Hartlepool, and a further four adrift of third-bottom Crawley, with eight games to go.

"We would like to place on record our thanks to Jim and Nick, and wish them every success in the future," a club statement said.

Against Carlisle United this season, Rochdale drew 3-3 at Brunton Park last September, before losing 1-0 at the Crown Oil Arena in January.