Three first-half goals saw the Youth Team run out 3-0 winners at Port Vale in the EFL Youth Alliance League on Saturday.
Florian Yonsian, Lewis Bradley and Dan Adshead all scored in an opening period dominated by Dale, who claimed their fourth consecutive win in all competitions.
The first real chance of the game was converted by Dale striker Yonsian. He picked up on a bouncing ball, drove into the area and cut inside onto his left foot, before curling an effort beyond the Vale goalkeeper.
Musambya Kisimba should have doubled the lead minutes later, but saw a header from a corner deflected behind before he sliced an effort over the bar from close range.
Florent Hoti’s superb run ended with him firing over, before Dale did the double the lead through Bradley.
Goalkeeper Brad Wade’s superb ball forward was latched on to by Kisimba, who pulled the ball back for Bradley on the edge of the area. He took a touch past a defender onto his left-foot and fired low into the bottom corner.
Yonsian had an opportunity to double his tally when he met Joe Dunne’s left-wing cross, but diverted the ball over, before Wade made a strong save from a Vale effort from just outside the penalty area.
Yonsian again turned an opportunity over the crossbar, driving Bradley’s cross into the ground and over, before Adshead made it 3-0.
He received a pass from Dunne and drove forward, before firing a low effort towards the bottom corner which went under the home goalkeeper and into the back of the net.
The lively Yonsian was denied by a strong stop by the Vale goalkeeper before the interval, whilst Dale rattled the woodwork five minutes after the break when Luke Matheson’s cross was cleared against Kisimba, with the ball looping up and off the face of the crossbar.
Yonsian was again denied by a good save after beating a couple of defenders and breaking into the area, shortly before Wade had to be alert at the other end to fly to his right and turn away an effort.
Substitute Fabio Tavares had a couple of opportunities to grab a fourth for Dale, seeing a shot blocked behind before being denied by the goalkeeper after Adshead’s through ball had found him.
Fellow substitute Morgan Moreland also fired wide of the near post with the final chance of the game, as Dale picked up their third league win of the campaign.