It was derby day delight for Rochdale as John Coleman got his time in charge at Spotland off to a dream start as Rochdale ran out comfortable 3-0 winners over local rivals Bury.

The double from Ashley Grimes, and one from Jean Louis Akpa Akpro ended a two and half month wait for a Dale victory, with the win being the first since November 19^th.

Coleman's much anticipated first starting line up saw him making four changes to the side that faced Wycombe last Saturday. Nicky Adams, Ashley Grimes, Kevin Long and Joe Widdowson all had a place in the starting eleven, which meant Dean Holden and Brett Ormerod were on the bench, while Stephen Jordan and Daniel Bogdanovic were omitted for the match day squad altogether.

Rochdale went into the match looking do the double over Bury this season, and Dale got off to the best possible start by taking an early lead. The deserved opener came after a pro-longed spell of pressure from the home side.

Dale certainly started the match looking like a team with purpose. Skipper Gary Jones came close with just a minute on the clock with a curling effort from the edge of the box. The effort tested Bury goalkeeper Cameron Belford who was forced to stretch high to tip the ball over the bar.

Moments later and Jean Louis struck a shot from 20 yards out, the effort itself was straight at the keeper, but was on target.

With seven minutes gone Dale had an appeal for a handball in the box turned down.

The continued at pace and much of the play was coming through Adams up the right hand side. He picked out Gary Jones who was waiting in the centre of the park. The Captain hit a powerful effort which went over the bar.

With continued pressure on the Bury it did look like it was only a matter of time before Dale would see a breakthrough, and with a quarter of an hour gone the home side were given their reward. Adams who had been nothing short of energetic throughout the half again played a pacey cross across the area to Jones who was waiting on the edge of the box. His low drive at the near post was spilled by Belford, but Akpa Akpro was there to tap the ball in to make it 1-0.

A rejuvenated Dale certainly didn't take their foot of the gas after going a goal to the good and continued to drive forward searching for the second.

Jonah looked determined to get on the score sheet this as he again got involved in the thick of the action. The Bury defence backed off to allow him to get a shot away from distance which did put the keeper under pressure, in the end it went wide of the target.

Bury had their first opportunity of the afternoon on 25 minutes. A diving save from Kurucz was required to keep the ball out. The Hungarian palmed the ball out for a corner. The resulting header saw Eftobore Sodje come close with a curling header. Much to the relief of the Dale support it snuck just past the post.

The pressure from the visitors was short lived and Dale continued to dominate the match. An error in the box from Sodje on the half hour box allowed Grimes who was waiting in the six yard box the opportunity to capitalise on the Bury defenders mistake. Despite some quick thinking from the striker, Belford pulled off a quick reaction save from Grimes to save an embarrassment for Sodje.

Sodje was involved in the action in at the other just minutes later as Peter Kurucz was forced to bundle himself on the ball knocked on by the Bury player which looked set to creep in at the back post.

The visitors had their busiest period and they too had an appeal for a penalty turned down by the referee.

However the threat from Bury was again short lived as Grimes made sure Dale would take a 2-0 lead into the interval. The goal came after yet more attacking play from Adams. He picked out Kennedy who had made a run alongside him in the middle of the park, Kennedy had a go himself but the ball was blocked by the visitors defence. The deflection fell nicely for Grimes who had made himself available at the back post, and he slotted the ball home to give Dale a two goal advantage.

The second half started much the same as the first had ended, with Dale looking hunger for the third of the afternoon and it came ten minutes after the re-start.

Grimes slammed the ball into the roof of the net following a flick on by Akpa Akpro to grab his second of the afternoon and Dale's third of the match.

Akpa Akpro who continued to look lively came close to adding to his tally with an overhead scissor kick just moments later. The Frenchman who connected with the ball with his back to goal forced Belfield to pull off another impressive quick reaction save to keep Dale at bay.

Coleman made his first substitution of the match on 70 minutes, with goal hero Grimes making way for Andrew Tutte. And Tutte made his presence felt almost instantaneously with powerful effort at goal with his first touch of the game. Belford again called into action as he dived the length of his goal to palm the ball out of play.

Dale continued to keep the Bury defence busy and the visitors did well to clear an effort at the near post from debutant Long who had tracked forward into the box.

At the other end efforts from the visitors were far and few between during the second half, however Kurucz was called into action when substitute Lenell John-Louis had an on target header collection by the on-loan keeper.

Rochdale held out to keep a clean sheet and run out 3-0 winners.