Keith Hill's side came from behind to record a comprehensive first win of the season and put to bed any doubts about the strike force that he has assembled.

It certainly wouldn't have been in the script to concede after just 2 minutes but long before the final whistle a boxing referee would have brought to a close what finished as a totally one sided contest.

In the early stages Barnet's high energy approach was causing a strangely lethargic looking Dale problems and they were good value for the lead given to them by the livewire Adam Birchall when he reacted first as a long range free kick was allowed to drop in the Dale box and he lashed a left footed volley beyond the reach of the unprotected Sam Russell.

Just two minutes later following a short corner Adam Rundle was unlucky to see his wickedly whipped shot cum cross rebound off the cross bar , the same player shot shot wide after a flowing move and there were loud appeals for a penalty for what appeared to be a clear hand ball.

Barnet should have doubled their lead on the half hour when a half clearance landed invitingly for Joe Tabiri but from 12 yards with the goal at his mercy he scuffed horribly wide.

The equaliser arrived on 37 minutes when following a throw the ball seemed to bounce off Chris Dagnall to the feet of Adam Rundle and the winger lashed it home with his right foot from a tight angle.



Rather like buses after something of a wait for one goal a second arrived soon after as after typical foraging by Gary Jones the ball fell to Chris Dagnall who needed no second invitation to lash it into the roof of the net from the edge of the penalty area with about 90 seconds remaining in the half.



The second half  a matter of one way traffic with the home side producing a series of flowing moves and being unlucky not to extend their lead on several occasions.

As the pressure on the visitors built Clark Keltie fired just wide after a bout of juggling and the increasingly impressive and effective Jon Shaw just couldnt grow enough to convert a Tom Kennedy cross

Shaw got his just rewards on 71 minutes though as he raced on to a wonderful 75 yard pass and simply lashed it past Barnet keeper Rob Beckwith as he somewhat suprisingly opted not to come off his line.



Beckwith made up his poor judgement by brilliantly denying Adam le Fondre on 76 minutes, the same player had a header from a corner cleared off the line, Jones fired over after a wonderfully flowing move and in the dying minutes Beckwith again denied Le Fondre as the little striker twisted away from his defender following a throw in.

In the end it was very good performance and having racked up 4 points from their opening 2 fixtures Dale are considerably better off, already, than they were this time last term.

Teams
Rochdale
Russell,Ramsden, Kennedy, McArdle, Stanton; Higginbotham, Jones (G) Keltie, Rundle; Dagnall, Shaw
Subs; LeFondre, Spencer, Thorpe, Toner,Wiseman

Barnet
Beckwith, Carew , Leary, Yakubu, Devera, , Adomah, Porter, Bishop, Tabiri , Medley, Birchall.
Subs; Harrison, Hart, Thomas, Akurang, St Aimie

Officials
Referee- Mr Oliver Langford
Assistants- D Mohareb and R Merchant
4th official- N Greenhalgh