Devante Rodney scored twice as Rochdale stabilised their Vanarama National League play-off push with a resounding 4-0 victory over Eastleigh at the Crown Oil Arena.
Fifth-placed Rochdale, who had not won in three prior attempts in all competitions, took the lead after 11 minutes as Tobi Adebayo-Rowling found Rodney with a low cross that was rifled into the bottom corner.
The hosts’ lead was doubled only seven minutes later as Luis Fernandez put through his own net while Sam Beckwith was trying to turn home Aidan Barlow’s delivery.
Club favourite Ian Henderson fired Dale well clear of Eastleigh with a goal from another Adebayo-Rowling tee-up, this time into the near post, in the 63rd minute.
The contest was over when Rodney converted Adebayo-Rowling’s third assist 12 minutes later to extend Eastleigh’s winless run to a sixth match.
