AFC Wimbledon manager Neal Ardley. Photo by Pete Norton/Getty Images
Sammy Moore had levelled after Jamie Allen broke the deadlock for Dale but then the weather played its part, forcing a 25-minute stoppage before ground staff managed to get three of the four illuminations working for the final 15 minutes of the match.
That saw Andy Frampton pop up with a winner six minutes from time for Wimbledon to claim their first maximum points haul in seven games.
Ardley told the club's website: 'My main worry was that the game would get abandoned and, at that point, I thought the least that we were going to get was a point.
'I felt that we had the momentum and we might lose that. We did to a certain degree because they came out and went for it, but we defended like lions.'
The Dons boss praised goal hero Frampton, saying: 'Andy is a leader and that is why I signed him.
'Alan Bennett is a leader too and when you have those two in there that is a big plus. I thought Michael Smith was tireless up front today.
'There were so many good performances. In the second-half we started believing that we were a good team and showing some of the stuff that we do in training, but we have to use today as a catalyst to be more consistent.'
Ardley now believes the win, their first since September 21, will spur the side on.
'I think that we are going to be stronger for the past month that we have had,' he said. 'During the past week in training I have seen a group of players that are trying to put actions into place, rather than words.
'They do care and they do not like losing. The staff and players have come together today and sometimes when you do that you get a slice of luck. I thought that our second-half performance was excellent.'
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