Colchester 1 - 4 Rochdale

Colchester applied the early pressure with three corners in succession but after that early flurry Rochdale took control of the game and fully deserved their comprehensive victory with goals from Matty Lund, Peter Vincenti, Ian Henderson and Jack O'Connell. Gavin Massey with the Colchester goal.

Keith Hill brought Rafferty, O'Connell, Lund and Done into his starting eleven with Hery and Andrew dropping to the subs bench.

Colchester forced three corners in the first five minutes and Logan in the Dale goal had to save from a George Moncur shot.

However, Dale weathered the early storm and a Henderson shot from inside the penalty area needed saving by Walker in the Colchester goal.

Michael Rose had a shot blocked before Dale opened the scoring midway through the half, Matty Lund's shot from inside the penalty area finding the top right corner.

Minutes later Dale were two up, Peter Vincenti finding the bottom left corner from inside the six yard area.

Colchester were being restricted to long range punts from outside the box by a tight Dale defence.

With the first half drawing to a close, Ian Henderson almost made it three when he hit the bar with a header from a corner.

Dale did though go in three up at half time courtesy of a penalty after Kaspars Gorkss upended Stephen Dawson in the penalty area; Ian Henderson slotting home from the spot kick.

Right on the stroke of half time, Rhys Healey came close to pulling one back from Colchester when he hit the post from close range.

Colchester made a double substitution at half time with Sean Clohessy replacing Elliot Hewiit and Gavin Massey replacing Rhys Healey.

The substitutions had the desired effect within minutes of the second half starting when Moncur crossed to Massey who drilled the ball low and hard from outside the box and beat Logan low to the bottom left corner.

Colchester made their third substituion bringing on Macauley Bonne for Sanchez Watt.

If there was any doubt where the three points were heading following Colchester's goal, Dale quickly put paid to such doubts as Jack O'Connell got his head on the end of a Michael Rose cross to find the bottom left corner from close range.

In the last quarter of an hour Dale brought on Calvin Andrew for Peter Vincenti and then Bastien Hery replaced Matty Lund.

Colchester applied some late pressure forcing a couple of corners but it was Dale who came closest to scoring again with Walker having to save a Michael Rose shot and, in the minutes added on, Henderson hitting the Colchester bar from close range.

The win sees Rochdale climb into the promotion play off places at the expense of local rivals Oldham, who drop two places after a heavy defeat at home to struggling Yeovil.

Attendance: 2,920

Rochdale: Logan, Rafferty, Eastham, O'Connell, Rose, Lund Booked (Hery - 84), Lancashire, Henderson, Dawson, Done, Vincenti (Andrew - 75)
Substitues: Lillis, Andrew, Noble-Lazarus, Hery, Cywka, Cannon, Camps

Colchester: Walker, Hewitt (Clohessy - 45), Gorkss, Eastman, Kpekawa, Moncur, Fox, Eastmond, Watt (Bonne - 53), Healey (Massey - 45), Sears
Substitutes: Lewington, Clohessy, Massey, Bonne, Szmodics, O'Donoghue, Sembie-Ferris

Referee: Charles Breakspear