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ROCHDALE hit five past Wigan Athletic on Tuesday night, recording a comprehensive 5-0 win over the Latics at the DW Stadium.
Alex Newby netted a brace, while Kwadwo Baah, Matt Lund and Stephen Dooley also scored in the victory.
There were two changes to the side that lined up against Peterborough United at the weekend as Jim McNulty and Baah came in for Tolaji Bola and Dooley.
Rochdale opened the scoring early on, when Baah broke the deadlock on four minutes in stunning fashion.
Cutting in from the right, he rifled a shot beyond Jamie Jones from the edge of the area.
Soon after, Lund was denied on the line by the legs of the Latics ‘keeper, after he met a Jimmy Keohane ball in from the right and sent a volley at goal.
Stephen Humphrys and Newby then had efforts from distance held by Jones.
The Wigan goalkeeper, who spent time on loan at the Crown Oil Arena, was called into action again soon after, this time pushing a Humphrys strike from the edge of the box round the upright.
Rochdale deservedly doubled their advantage in the 19th minute.
A corner was cleared as far as Newby, who laid the ball off to Aaron Morley.
He in turn sent a superb delivery back into the sixyard box for Lund who had timed his run perfectly to nod home from close range.
Opportunities had been at a premium for the home side so far, but Alex Perry struck over the bar. They then, after Humphrys sent a volley over, forced Jay Lynch into a fine save.
Lynch was on hand to deny Tom James, as he came out quickly to turn his powerful shot round the upright.
Three minutes before the interval Dale had to make an enforced change. Jimmy Ryan was unable to continue following a hefty challenge and he was replaced by Dooley.
In stoppage time, Humphrys cut inside and let fly, sending his shot just inches wide.
Rochdale’s dominance continued in the second half and they extended their lead further, thanks to goals from Dooley and Newby.
Shortly before the hour, Dale hit the hosts on the break through Baah and after Lund drove forward, he fed the ball through to Dooley, who cut inside on his left foot and struck past Jones, seeing his shot nestle inside the bottom corner.
Soon after, Captain Eoghan O’Connell headed wide from a Morley ball into the box, and with the side on the ascendancy, they added a fourth a minute later from the penalty spot after Humphrys had been hauled to the ground. Newby stepped up to take the resulting spot-kick and dispatched his penalty into the bottom corner.
There was a triple substitution on 72 minutes when Matty Done, Bola and Fabio Tavares replaced Baah, Haydon Roberts and Humphrys. Another followed 10 minutes later as Lund made way for Ethan Brierley.
Late on, substitute Done fired an effort over, while Wigan’s James came very close to netting consolation goal, but his low drive went narrowly wide of the post.
In stoppage time, Newby added a fifth and his second of the evening. After driving into the area, Tavares had a shot blocked which fell for Newby and he volleyed beyond Jones.