ROCHDALE put on their Sunday best in the derby against Accrington Stanley at the Fraser Eagle Stadium.

If playing a day later produces perfomances like this not too many Rochdale fans will grumble at having Saturday off.

Dale gave a blistering second half perfomance to outclass a solid, plucky Accrington outfit which had matched Dale like for like in the first half.

Dale striker Will Buckley earned special praise from his manager Keith Hill after the game.

Despite a below par perfomnce by his standards in the first half, Buckley shone in the second, terrifying the Stanley defence every time he raided down the flanks.

He earned his side a penalty 10 minutes before the break to level Stanley’s first-minute strike, and he put Dale ahead with a superb strike in the 56th minute, following a jinking run into the box.

Jordan Rhodes added to Dale’s tally in stoppage time to put the icing on the cake in what, eventually, was a vintage display from Hill’s side.

Perhaps the only complaint was the visitors should have scored more, poor finishing and brave goalkeeping by Kenny Arthur preventing them from doing so.

Accrington made the perfect start with only 58 seconds on the clock.

The ball broke loose just outside the Dale penalty area and former Macclesfield striker John Miles hit a screaming volley into the top right corner, giving Dale goalkeeper Sam Russell no chance.

Seconds later Dale should have been on level terms. Adam Rundle crossed from the left to where an unmarked Gary Jones headed wide of the target from eight yard.

The game was played at a frenetic pace and there were chances galore at both ends in the opening 20 minutes.

Stanley almost doubled their lead when a short corner came back to Cavanagh on the edge of the penalty area. His blistering shot was tipped over by Russell, despite him seeing the ball late.

At the other end, Rhodes was using his physical presence to good effect. He held the ball up on the right side of the penalty area and crossed for Rundle at the far post. His shot was diverted for a corner. From the corner Ramsden won a header, but from close range he didn’t test the Stanley keeper.

Twenty minutes into the game Hill was forced into a change, Simon Ramsden pulling up with a calf injury, and replaced by Scott Wiseman.

The visitors were now on top and the pressure paid off when Buckley was brought down by Miles as he surged into the box. Adam Le Fondre coolly slotted the ball into the bottom right-hand corner.

Two minutes before the break Jones’ perfectly weighted through ball sent Rhodes clear. Arthur, though, was quickly off his line to smother the shot.

Rhodes was through again on the stroke of half time as Le Fondre flicked on from Russell’s long kick. Rhodes was denied a shot on goal by Colin Murdock’s excellent block.

Stanley again came out of the traps quicker in the second half. Rostyn Griffiths picked the ball up deep in the Dale half and, as the defenders hesitated, found himself through on goal. Fortunately, he dragged his shot across the face of goal and wide of the far post.

It was a wake-up call for Dale as Jones and Clarke Keltie got a grip in midfield, a grip they wouldn’t relinquish.

Buckley showed great determination and quick feet to leave Stanley fullback Chris King for dead. Once in the box, Buckley showed great composure as he sidefooted the ball low and hard beyond Arthur’s reach.

Miles almost gifted Dale a third with a poor back pass, Arthur again the hero for Stanley as he rushed off his line to deny Rhodes a shot.

Stanley were a spent force and the only surprise was it took until the 90th minute to seal the win, Rhodes seizing on to Chris Dagnall’s mishit shot to prod the ball home.