RAMPANT Rochdale condemned Cherries to their heaviest home league defeat for three years to put the cat among the pigeons at the top of League Two.

Eddie Howe’s men were put to the sword during the second half as the visitors ran amok by netting three times in eight minutes.

Dale’s lively frontman Chris Dagnall paved the way for victory by scoring with a coolly-taken opener in first-half stoppage time.

And the visitors sealed the points thanks to Chris O’Grady’s double and a Simon Whaley strike to close the gap on Cherries – who still managed to cling on to top spot.

Steve Fletcher returned to the starting line-up as boss Howe was forced to make one change with Mark Molesley ruled out due to his nagging foot problem.

Cherries survived an early penalty appeal when Dale striker O’Grady went to ground under a strong challenge from Jason Pearce.

And Dale were also relieved when referee Phil Crossley took no action after Alan Connell had taken a tumble following a challenge with Tom Kennedy inside the 18-yard box.

Dagnall saw his 18th-minute shot saved by Shwan Jalal before the Dale striker sent a right-foot drive fizzing past the upright.

Jalal was then forced to push O’Grady’s delicate effort around the post as Dale created all the early chances.

However, the visitors were thankful to loan goalkeeper Josh Lillis for his reaction save from Brett Pitman’s stinging volley after 32 minutes.

And Lillis again excelled when he scurried across his line and got down smartly to turn Pitman’s venomous free kick around the post.

Dale had a let off when Pearce’s 40th-minute header was ruled out for offside, even though the defender appeared to have timed his run to perfection.

Dagnall opened the scoring in first-half stoppage time when he finished with aplomb by clipping the ball over Jalal after O’Grady’s defence-splitting pass had sent him clear.

Joe Thompson went close to doubling Dale’s lead when he lifted his shot over the crossbar following a swift break five minutes into the second half.

Connell was unlucky to see his goalbound volley strike a defender before Dale extended their lead through O’Grady’s cool finish in the 64th minute.

And as Dale continued to turn the screw, Whaley skipped through the Cherries defence to add a third on 70 minutes before O’Grady made it 4-0 just two minutes later.

Nathan Stanton blotted Dale’s copybook when he received a straight red card for an X-rated challenge on Cherries substitute Marvin Bartley.

Cherries (4-4-2): Jalal; Bradbury, Pearce, Garry, Cummings; Feeney, Hollands, Robinson, Pitman; Fletcher (Bartley, 70), Connell.

Unused subs: Goulding, McQuoid, Thomas (g/k).

Booked: Garry, Cummings.

Dale (4-4-2): Lillis; McArdle, Stanton, Dawson, T Kennedy; Whaley (Rundle, 76), Stevens, J Kennedy, Thompson; Dagnall, O’Grady.

Unused subs: Holness, Flynn, Magna, Spencer, Higginbotham, Taberner (g/k).

Booked: T Kennedy, Whaley.

Sent off: Stanton.

Referee: Phil Crossley (Kent).

Attendance: 6,378.