Dale put in a five-star performance on Saturday, beating Accrington Stanley in style at the Wham Stadium.
Braces from Adam Cullen and Peter Thomas along with a late goal from Jadel Yaduat ensured all three points in an excellent all-round performance.
The first sight of goal came when Thomas headed towards goal, but it was tipped behind for a corner.
From the following corner, Morgan Kinsella went close but his shot was saved before being scrambled to safety.
Thomas threatened once more, this time getting in behind before putting the ball across the face of goal with Cullen inches away from getting on the end of it.
The deadlock was broken after a fine Dale counter-attack, Thomas found Louie Chorlton who fed Cullen with the striker taking one touch before dispatching into the bottom corner.
Dale doubled their lead minutes later, Chorlton recording his second assist of the match when he crossed the ball for Thomas to convert from close range.
The same two players combined again; this time Thomas saw his volley travel narrowly wide of the target.
Jordan Scanlon then beat the offside trap after some neat build-up play and had the chance to make it three, but his shot was saved by the legs of the Accrington goalkeeper.
The home side pulled a goal back when Patrick Watts’ attempted back-pass fell to the feet of a Stanley forward who finished past Brad Kelly.
In the second half, Thomas got his second when Chorlton’s shot deflected up off a defender and into the path of Dale’s number 9 who reacted quickest to head home.
Thomas then set up his strike partner for his second, flicking on from a corner before Cullen bundled the ball home from close range.
Jadel Yaduat was introduced in the second half and got on the scoresheet when the Accrington ‘keeper palmed a cross away which cannoned back in off the striker’s knee.
The result was a comfortable victory for Dale who responded to last week’s defeat in emphatic fashion.
Chris Brown’s side are next in action on Tuesday when they face Tranmere Rovers away from home, with kick-off at 1pm.
DALE XI | Kelly, Chorlton, Kinsella, Watts (46’), D’Souza, Kershaw, Clarkson, Mialkowski (65’), Scanlon, Cullen (73’), Thomas (73’).
SUBS | Craven, Caldwell, Kyffin (65’), Jesus (73’), Yaduat (73’), Kyle (46’).