The Youth Team secured their first win of the season on Saturday, beating Walsall on the road in comfortable fashion with goals galore.
A hat-trick from Jadel Yaduat and goals from Jordan Scanlon and Darren Ehimamiegho ensured Rochdale secured the three points in a display which Dale controlled throughout, before the home side grabbed a late consolation.
Dale were awarded a penalty within the opening ten minutes when Scanlon was clipped from behind just inside the box, after some brilliant work to beat his man. Unfortunately, the penalty wasn’t dispatched, as Scanlon’s spot-kick was well saved by the ‘keeper.
Yaduat opened the scoring on the half hour mark with a lovely finish after taking the ball on the turn just inside the area and converting with a powerful effort across the face of goal.
Only three minutes later, Rochdale doubled their lead with another Yaduat goal. Paul Kyffin worked his way into the box before finding Yaduat at the back post who struck into an empty net, finishing off a lovely well worked team goal.
After the break, Rochdale continued on the ascendancy.
Kyffin headed over and had a shot saved, before Scanlon had an effort from close range denied by an excellent save.
But, finally, they added a third just before the hour mark, as Yaduat completed his hattrick.
Kyffin found Yaduat with a cross towards the back post and Yaduat sent a looping header over the ‘keeper.
Dale’s fourth goal came after Max Sutton did brilliantly to skip past his man and make his way to the byline before seeing his cross deflected to Scanlon who, after some lovely footwork to shift the defenders, fired in emphatic fashion into the top left corner of the net from close range.
The fifth goal came in the closing stages when substitute Ehimamiegho volleyed home from close range after being found by a brilliant cross from the right-hand side.
In the dying moments, the hosts grabbed a consolation through a late corner which was floated towards the back post before being headed home.
Dale XI | Kelly, Jesus, Sutton, Kershaw, Laurence, Kyle, Brierley, Mialkowski, Yaduat, Scanlon, Kyffin.
Subs | Cunningham, Craven, Watts, Ehimamiegho, McNair.