A hat-trick from Fabio Tavares and a brace from Neil Kuemo saw the Youth Team run out resounding 5-1 winners over Oldham Athletic, in their final pre-season friendly.
Kuemo opened the scoring in the 12th minute, before Tavares doubled the lead eight minutes later.
Kuemo bagged his second three minutes after the break, and Tavares made it four shortly before the hour mark.
Oldham pulled a goal back through Francois Antoine, but Tavares restored the four-goal cushion with his hat-trick goal five minutes later to round off the scoring.
Dale started strongly, with Elliott Murray testing the goalkeeper early on from range, before the deadlock was broken by Kuemo early on.
A low ball across the area looked as though it would be dealt with by the Oldham defence, but Kuemo battled to win the ball back and fired a clinical finish inside the far post from the angle.
With regular goalkeeper Bradley Wade on first team duty, under-16s goalkeeper Morgan Piper was between the sticks for Dale. He produced a fine double save to prevent Oldham equalising within five minutes.
Piper clawed away a looping header from close range, before rushing out to deny the follow up at the near post.
It proved vital, as Dale doubled their lead just three minutes later. Kuemo’s shot from the left of the area was well saved, but only into the path of Tavares, who tapped in at the far post.
Dale had the ball in the net again shortly afterwards through Tavares, but he was deemed offside when Kuemo played a ball across the area.
Murray tested the goalkeeper twice more from range, before his whipped corner was met by Kuemo, although the forward’s effort was straight at the Oldham stopper.
Latics had a couple of chances before the break, with a free-kick curling wide and a diving header from a corner off-target.
Dale made their hosts pay just three minutes after the break, when Kuemo made it three. Lewis Bradley found Murray on the edge of the area, who slipped a clever through ball in to Kuemo. He took a touch before firing inside the near post on the turn.
Bradley was then replaced by Farhan Subhani, as Dale continued their fine display by bagging a fourth in the 56th minute. James Neild carried the ball through the middle of the pitch before finding Tavares with a superb through ball. The striker kept his composure and fired a cool finish into the far corner.
Piper held onto a powerful effort from Chinedu Uche, before Murray curled an effort wide for Dale.
The hosts did pull a goal back, when Tom Hamer’s right-wing cross was turned in by Antoine’s cushioned volley.
It took Dale just five minutes to regain a four-goal lead, as Tavares secured his hat-trick. Harrison Hopper found Kuemo inside the area, who’s deflected shot deceived the Oldham goalkeeper, allowing Tavares to tap home.
Tavares and Kuemo, who had caused Oldham problems all match, were replaced in the final ten minutes along with Hopper and Juwon Hamzat. On came Florian Yonsian, Musambya Kisimba, Charlie Leech and Luke Adderly, before Hopper re-entered the pitch two minutes from time in place of Neild.
Murray had the final effort of the game when he dragged a shot from distance wide, but a superb performance from Dale saw them run out convincing winners at Chapel Road.
Dale XI: Piper, Appiah, Ward, Kearney, Hamzat, Neild, Murray, Hopper, Bradley, Kuemo, Tavares.
Subs: Yonsian, Kisimba, Adderly, Leech, Subhani.