Keith Hill savoured the taste of victory versus former club Barnsley as his Rochdale side cruised to a 3-0 win at Spotland.

The Dale chief, sacked by the Tykes in December 2012, saw his side pick up three comfortable points against a Barnsley side who looked a shadow of the team which ran Barclays Premier League giants Everton so close in the Capital One Cup just three days earlier.

Calvin Andrew fired the home side ahead in the seventh minute with a fierce drive from the edge of the area. Tykes goalkeeper Adam Davies got a hand to the shot but could only parry the powerful effort into the top corner.

Ian Henderson and Donal McDermott both fired narrowly wide before Peter Vincenti doubled Dale's lead when he met McDermott's inswinging corner with a downward header in the 35th minute.

Henderson wrapped up the result in the 63rd minute when he raced onto Jamie Allen's clever pass and dinked the ball over Davies.

Rochdale goalkeeper Josh Lillis' first save of the day came in the 71st minute, the Dale stopper keeping out a low drive from Ben Pearson.