Rochdale were 4-1 winners over Scunthorpe United at Glanford Park on Tuesday evening.
Tyrese Sinclair netted a brace, whilst Liam Kelly and Abraham Odoh also bagged goals in the victory.
The game was played out in humid conditions, with temperatures showing 33 degrees Celsius when the game kicked-off at 7.30pm.
Rochdale started the match strongly and had their first effort on goal after just two minutes. There was some great work by Devante Rodney to out-muscle George Taft and play in Jimmy Keohane, who in turn found Ian Henderson. The Dale forward clipped a ball to the back post but it was defended behind as Rodney came in to meet it.
From the resulting corner, Liam Kelly’s delivery was cleared as far as Cameron John, who struck wide from 20-yards.
Five minutes later, Henderson and Rodney combined, as the latter clipped a ball through into the path of Hendo. He appeared to be pulled back as he entered the area, but play continued and he laid the ball off for Rodney whose strike was blocked.
Soon after, the duo were involved again. Hendo played in Rodney with sublime pass, and, after taking a touch, Rodney finished into the back of the net only to see the offside flag go up.
Liam Kelly then tried a speculative effort from range, striking wide from distance.
Meanwhile, Femi Seriki drove at pace from inside his own half before reaching the edge of the Scunthorpe area and hitting a powerful effort narrowly past the post.
The Iron grew into the game during the latter stages of the half and they had a number of opportunities on goal.
Richard O’Donnell got down to hold Cameron Wilson’s low poke, before Jacob Butterfield, from 35-yards, struck a powerful effort wide.
Alfie Beestin then had the side’s best opportunity of the half, as he hit a dipping effort from close range over the bar on the turn, while Colin Daniel fired a low free-kick wide of O'Donnell's left post, soon after.
Before the half was out, Daniel was in again, this time firing narrowly wide of the far post with a first time effort.
There were two changes at the break, as Toumani Diagouraga and Henderson were replaced by Trialist A and Tyrese Sinclair.
Less than 30 seconds after his introduction, Sinclair was in, stinging Marcus Dewhurst’s palms with a shot from a tight angle, and it set the tone for the half.
Dale broke the deadlock through Liam Kelly’s brilliant free-kick in the 53rd minute. He curled the set-piece over the wall, and, despite the goalkeeper getting a touch, he couldn’t keep the ball out as it nestled in the bottom corner of the net.
Moments later, the Iron had a free-kick of their own and Butterfield struck narrowly wide from 25-yards.
Sinclair, who signed a two-year deal with the club earlier in the day, doubled Dale’s advantage on the hour as Dale continued to dominate. Rodney sent a ball over the top for him to run onto and, although a Scunthorpe defender got a touch to force him wide, the forward kept his composure to fire beyond Dewhurst.
There was so nearly a third a couple of minutes later, but some excellent defending by the hosts kept Dale out. Trialist A played a great through ball for Sinclair who, after rounding the onrushing goalkeeper, pulled the ball back for Rodney. Rodney saw a shot superbly blocked, before Keohane's follow up was also blocked on the line.
Against the run of play, the Iron halved the deficit sixty seconds later through Feeney, who tapped home from close range from a low ball across the face of goal.
But Rochdale restored their two goal cushion soon after, as Sinclair netted his second of the evening. Keohane received a great pass down the left and from his cross to the back post, Sinclair powered home a side-foot volley.
Five Dale substitutions followed after the goal with Cameron John, Ethan Ebanks-Landell, Keohane, L Kelly and Rodney being replace by Jim McNulty, Max Taylor, Aidy White, Ethan Brierley and Luke Charman.
Charman was in soon after his introduction but he struck over the bar from close range.
There was another change, as Seriki made way for Abraham Odoh. And moments after coming on, Odoh was sent through on goal by Charman, but was kept out by the legs of the ‘keeper.
A final substitution followed in the 83rd minute, with under-16 player Oscar Kelly replacing James Ball.
Two minutes later, Dale had a fourth. Trialist A sent the ball out wide to Odoh and after his superb first touch took him past a defender, he fired across the goalkeeper and into the far bottom corner.
Dale starting XI | O’Donnell, Graham, Ebanks-Landell (Taylor 66), John (McNulty 66), Seriki (Odoh 75), Keohane (White 66), Diagouraga (Trialist A, HT), L Kelly (Brierley 66), Ball (O Kelly 83), Henderson (Sinclair, HT), Rodney (Charman 66)
Unused sub: B Kelly