A hat-trick from Chris O'Grady helped Dale go nine points clear at the top of League Two after a superb 4-1 victory over Cheltenham at Whaddon Road.

O'Grady scored his 13^th of the season in the 18^th minute from inside the area in a first half which was dominated by Dale after the first ten minutes. O'Grady then doubled Dale's lead four minutes into the second half with a simple goal after home goalkeeper Scott Brown failed to deal with a cross, before Craig Dawson bundled home a free-kick at the back post seven minutes later. Cheltenham pulled a goal back through captain Michael Townsend before O'Grady completed his hat-trick with a deflected finish after a long run three minutes into stoppage time.

Keith Hill made one change to the side from Tuesday's draw at Aldershot, with Thursday's loan signing Andrew Haworth coming into the starting line-up in place of Adam Rundle. Will Buckley was set to start but injured himself in the warm-up, so in came Haworth off the bench. Tom Heaton was in goal for his final appearance of his current loan spell, with a back four of Scott Wiseman, Craig Dawson, Nathan Stanton and Tom Kennedy. Jason Kennedy and Jason Taylor were in midfield, with Haworth and Joe Thompson on the wings. Chris O'Grady and Chris Dagnall partnered each other up top. A familiar name in the Cheltenham team was Josh Low, who scored in Forest Green's FA Cup victory over Dale last season.

From the outset it was clear Cheltenham were aiming to get at Dale, hoping to restrict their passing game. The opening minutes were a case of keeping it tight at the back for both sides as the home side showed they could play good football too. Only Tom Kennedy stopped Josh Low from releasing a shot in a good position after good work from veteran striker Julian Alsop. The Dale left back tracked back well to make a great sliding challenge as Low bore down on goal.

The first shot of the game came in the 12^th minute when Chris Dagnall had an effort. Dagnall, looking for his 15^th goal of the campaign, picked up a pass from Scott Wiseman before finding a yard to get off his shot, but it went high over Scott Brown's crossbar and out for a Cheltenham goal kick.

Just five minutes later and Andrew Haworth showed why he is so highly rated by Keith Hill when he struck a post. He picked up the ball on the last and beat Josh Low and David Pipe on the Cheltenham right before curling one to the far corner. However, the ball didn't bend enough and it hit the post before being smothered by Scott Brown.

But just a minute later and Rochdale took the lead - Chris O'Grady showing why the board spent a large sum of money on the striker. Chris Dagnall had the ball on the left of the area when he picked out O'Grady. The former Oldham man took a touch before firing a left foot shot off, with the ball beating goalkeeper Brown and nestling in the bottom corner.

The early goal was exactly what Keith Hill will have wanted and it was O'Grady's 13^th goal of the season, his first since his permanent move to Dale that provided it. The goal seemed to spur the home side into action and they had a half chance to equalise straight away.

Josh Low picked up a knock down from Justin Richards and with his left foot hit a dipping shot that looked on target before it took a deflection off Nathan Stanton and went out for a corner. Cheltenham's pressure continued a couple of minutes later when David Hutton beat a man on the edge of the area, but he tried a chipped effort which didn't trouble Tom Heaton.

Whilst Cheltenham were looking for an equaliser, Dale were looking just as likely to make it two. Andrew Haworth picked up a pass in the area from Chris O'Grady before beating a man and attempting a shot which was saved by Scott Brown and put behind for a corner kick to Dale.

Cheltenham's Danny Andrew appeared to go close with a free-kick, with his left foot effort just flying past Tom Heaton's left post. However, Heaton was very cool and watched the ball fly out for a goal kick.

Chris O'Grady had a shot blocked out for a corner, from which the ball fell to stand-in captain Jason Kennedy on the edge of the area. Dale fans will have been hoping he could produce a Darlington special, but his shot hit the roof of the stand behind the goal as he blazed over.

Just like Tom Kennedy before him, Cheltenham's Michael Townsend made a potentially goal saving tackle when Chris Dagnall was through on goal. Chris O'Grady played a ball into Dagnall who was about to release the trigger before Townsend made a great sliding challenge to relieve the danger.

Dale had seen away any pressure from Cheltenham following the goal and were looking the more likely to score a second. Chris O'Grady knocked a ball up in the air which fell to Chris Dagnall around eight yards out. He turned and hit the ball on the volley which drew a magnificent reaction save from Scott Brown who somehow kept the ball out. It was sweetly hit from Dagnall and looked sure to break the back of the net, but Brown managed to get his body in the way and prevent a second goal.

The first yellow card of the game was shown to Cheltenham captain Michael Townsend for a foul on Joe Thompson. The Dale winger had broke and knocked the ball past Townsend who could only bring Thompson down on the right channel.

There was one minute of added time shown by fourth official Richard Martin which brought about a little pressure from Cheltenham, but the Dale defence held firm and saw out the remaining seconds as Dale went into half-time with a slender one goal lead.

Dale came out for the second half hopeful of making the game safe with a quick second. Cheltenham had some early pressure but couldn't make anything of it, and four minutes into the second half they were made to pay for it as Chris O'Grady doubled Dale's lead. Andrew Haworth picked the ball up on the left and crossed with his left foot, which saw Scott Brown lose the ball in flight and only being able to palm the ball away from goal. It feel straight to Chris O'Grady who lashed the ball home from six yards, doubling Dale's lead and his own tally, taking him level with Chris Dagnall on 14 for the season.

The feeling was that if Dale could grab that second then they would be in complete control, and this was the case as in the minutes following the goal Keith Hill's side completely dominated possession as they pushed forward looking for a third.

That elusive third goal was not far off as Dale made it get, same and match with more than half an hour remaining. Tom Kennedy played in a free kick from the right which was flicked on by Chris Dagnall. It fell to Craig Dawson at the back post and he managed to bundle the ball over the line for his 10^th of the season. With Dale 3-0 up inside 56 minutes the 573 visiting fans were in wonderland as Keith Hill's side looked like they were going to make it eight wins in ten games.

With the game seemingly out of reach for Cheltenham they could feel as though the pressure was off them and they had a good chance to pull one back just two minutes later. A corner came out to Josh Low at the edge of the box who chipped the ball back in to Elvis Hammond, but the substitute's header was weak and straight at Tom Heaton who collected with ease.

With little under an hour gone Craig Dawson and Chris Dagnall got their wires crossed following a cross from Andrew Haworth. His cross was well placed in the middle of the area, but Dagnall tried to head towards goal, taking the ball away Dawson who wasn't happy that the striker had gone for goal.

In the 67^th minute Dale made their first change of the game, with Kallum Higginbotham coming on for Joe Thompson. Thompson had picked up a slight knock in the minutes before hand, so Keith Hill brought the winger off as a precautionary measure.

Two minutes later and Dale had a superb chance to make it 4-0, with the chance falling to Craig Dawson from another corner. Tom Kennedy whipped the ball into the back post where Dawson was unmarked. However, his header was straight at Scott Brown who managed to palm the ball away from danger. Dawson will have been disappointed that he couldn't do better being just a few yards out and unmarked.

Dale were beginning to enjoy themselves as they took complete control of possession and began to play some magnificent football. Andrew Haworth was enjoying himself on his debut and complimented a strong display with some neat footwork infront of the Dale fans which brought a fantastic reception.

The good football led to another chance for Dale to make it 4-0 as Haworth had a shot deflected out for a corner. Kallum Higginbotham crossed to Chris Dagnall who flicked the ball to Haworth, but the debutante's shot was blocked behind. Craig Dawson had another header from the resulting corner but it was headed into the ground and easily collected by Scott Brown.

A rare Cheltenham attack saw them win a corner, from which the ball fell to Josh Low on the edge of the box, but he could only strike over the bar with a disappointing effort.

Chris O'Grady was looking for his hat-trick and 15^th goal of the season as he had a good effort well saved in the 77^th minute. He picked up the ball on his left foot and fired a shot off, but Scott Brown was equal to it as he fell to his left to smother the ball.

Cheltenham's Elvis Hammond is their joint second leading goalscorer in all competitions and he should have done better in the 79^th minute when he broke the Dale backline, but his shot was high and wide of Tom Heaton's goal. Three minutes later and Cheltenham had arguably their best chance of the game, through veteran striker Barry Hayles. The ball fell to his feet just inside the area and he had a shot that had Heaton beaten, but it also beat the post and flew wide for a goal kick.

With five minutes remaining Keith Hill made his second change of the game, with Andrew Haworth coming off for Adam Rundle. It was a very impressive debut from Haworth who impressed from the off, made even more impressive by the fact he only found out he was starting five minutes prior to kick-off.

As the clock ticked towards 90 minutes Dale were slowing the game down, which allowed Cheltenham to have a bit more of the ball. Barry Hayles had another effort late on, but it was a weak shot and easily collected by Tom Heaton. At the other end Scott Wiseman found himself through on goal after good work by Kallum Higginbotham, but Wiseman's shot was well saved by Scott Brown.

As the game entered the final minute, Cheltenham were able to claw a goal back through their captain Michael Townsend. Josh Low had a shot from the edge of the area which took a deflection into the path of Townsend who managed to fire home into the roof of the net past Tom Heaton.

There were faint hopes from the Cheltenham faithful that they could pull off a remarkable comeback, but Rochdale pushed forward again straight after the goal with Chris O'Grady having a goal ruled out for offside. He had a shot well saved which fell to Dagnall who somehow worked it back out to O'Grady, but Dagnall was flagged offside denying him his hat-trick.

However, O'Grady made sure of his hat-trick in the 93^rd minute when he ran from just inside the Cheltenham half, past the home defence before firing a deflected shot into the back of the net for a superb hat-trick, making him Dale's leading scorer with 15 for the season.

That was the last real action of the game as referee Horwood blew the final whistle not long after the restart, and Dale came away from Whaddon Road with a superb 4-1 victory. It's Port Vale next at Spotland. Make sure you're there.

Dale: Heaton, Wiseman, T Kennedy, Dawson, Stanton, Taylor, J Kennedy, Thompson, Buckley, O'Grady, Dagnall.

Cheltenham: Brown, Townsend, Gallinagh, Richards, Hutton, Lowe, Pipe, Andrew, Thornhill, Labadie, Alsop.

Referee: Graham Horwood. Assistant Referees: Russell Fletcher & Rob Merchant. Fourth Official: Richard Martin.

Attendance: 3,460 (573 Dale fans).