Matt Done scored a hat-trick as Dale secured their first points of the season with a 5-2 victory away at Crewe.
Crewe took the lead ten minutes in through Marcus Haber, but Dale drew level just after the half hour mark through Ian Henderson after great work from Jamie Allen.
Matt Done put Keith Hill's men ahead just before the break with a tap-in from a Henderson low cross, before he made it three after the break, pouncing on a Crewe mistake.
Haber headed a goal back for Crewe, but Peter Vincenti restored the two goal lead with a drive from the edge of the area.
Done completed his hat-trick and Dale's scoring with a powerful fifth after linking up with Henderson again, to round off a fantastic team performance.
Dale made five changes from the defeat at Chesterfield. Monday's loan signing Conrad Logan came straight in for the injured Josh Lillis, whilst Ashley Eastham,
Bastien Hery, Allen and Peter Vincenti, as Dale lined up without a recognised striker.
However, any claims of a false nine were soon quashed as Ian Henderson and Matt Done pushed up onto the Crewe back line from kick-off.
There were a few lively moments for Dale early on as some quick play got the visitors into some attacking positions, without quite carving out a chance.
But it would be the home side who would take the lead ten minutes in. Marcus Haber received the ball on the edge of the area and managed to turn Scott Tanser, before
the big striker shot low between Logan's legs.
It seemed to unsettle Dale for a few minutes and the loan goalkeeper faced a similar effort three minutes later, this time when Billy Waters turned Eastham. This time
Logan saved with his legs to keep the score at 1-0.
It was an important save and allowed Dale to settle and get a foothold in the game. From the second of two quick corners Vincenti headed over the bar, in what would
be the first of three chances for Dale's number seven.
The second came when a cleared corner was put back into the mix by Joe Rafferty. It was headed into Vincenti's path by Eastham, but the Jersey man's header found the
side netting, before he headed straight into the arms of Ben Garratt from a corner.
Dale's pressure did result in an equalising goal just after the half hour mark, and deservedly so. Rhys Bennett did well to win the ball by his right corner flag, and played
an excellent ball down the line for Allen. He ran half the length of the pitch at full pelt before finding Henderson in the area with a fantastic low cross, allowing
Dale's captain for the night to turn home.
Henderson could have put Dale ahead just four minutes later after great play by Bennett. He dribbled past a couple of men before squeezing a ball through to Henderson,
but he skewed the ball well wide when he should have done better.
The hosts had a chance to go back ahead ahead when the ball ricocheted to Oliver Turton on the edge of the area, but his left foot snap shot went wide of Logan's left post.
Instead it was Dale who went ahead three minutes before the break. Tom Kennedy's cross found its way to Henderson at the back post, who's driven ball back across the goal
was turned into an empty net by Done.
The goal gave Dale the lead at the break, but only thanks to superb save from Logan deep into added time. George Ray's header looked destined for the net, but the stopper
stuck out a left hand and clawed the ball off the line to keep Dale ahead.
Dale started the second half as brightly as they had finished the first. Henderson had the ball in the back of the net less than a minute in, but Done had been deemed to foul
goalkeeper Garratt.
Henderson had a legitimate effort at goal five minutes later after Bennett won the ball back high up the pitch on the right and fed Henderson, but his left foot effort
was well blocked out for a corner.
Dale's early second half pressure told nine minutes in, as Done - who hadn't scored since 2012 before his first - pounced on a mistake for his second of the night and
Dale's third.
Allen's ball over the top should have been dealt with by Ray, but his weak header back fell short, and Done showed great composure to bring the ball down and fire home.
It seemed to put Dale well in control, and Henderson had a free kick on target but comfortable for Garratt, before Crewe went up the other end and pulled a goal back.
A cross from the corner of the penalty area on the right found the head of Haber who nodded past Logan to make it 3-2.
It would be another test of Dale's character, but they responded superbly and could have equalised two minutes later through Vincenti. Joe Rafferty turned superbly
on the right and found the wide man, but he couldn't connect at the back post.
However, he did connect two minutes later to give Dale back their two goal cushion. He exchanged passed with Henderson before taking a touch and driving low from the edge of the
area past Garratt to make it 4-2.
It was a safety net for Dale, but no more than they peformance had deserved, and no one could begrudge them a fifth when it came after 72 minutes.
Henderson won the ball high up the pitch and found Done with a perfectly weighted ball. He took a touch and blasted the ball past Garratt for his hat-trick, in his new role as
striker.
Bastien Hery came off to a standing ovation from the Dale fans as he was replaced by Calvin Andrew, with Done dropping back to the right of midfield, Bennett moving to a holding
midfield role.
Crewe still threatened though as they looked to close the deficit, with Logan making a good low save from substitute Vadaine Oliver's header.
Dale weren't content with just five as they kept pushing looking for more. Vincenti headed just wide from a Done cross after a quick break.
He was then replaced and also received a standing ovation from the 327 Dale fans, being replaced by Callum Camps for his first appearance of the season.
Stephen Dawson replaced Done with a minute to go, and he was lauded by the Dale fans, and also received a smattering of applause from the home crowd for his three well
taken goals.
He secured the midfield to see the game out and get Dale off the mark for the season with a 5-2 win, thanks to a fantastic team performance and incredible individual display
from hat-trick hero Matt Done.