Wycombe Wanderers put on a sparkling display at Spotland on Tuesday evening to beat Rochdale for the first time since entering the Football League.
If anyone thought the 2-1 scoreline made the contest seem like a close affair they could be mightily mistaken as the Blues dazzled the opposition with some cutting edge play and two well worked first half goals from Mike Williamson and Matt Bloomfield.
A Gary Jones penalty, his third in as many games against the Chairboys, did make for a nervy final ten minutes but anything less than a victory for Wycombe would have flattered the home side.
John Gorman made one change for the clash with Carlisle United as Bloomfield stepped into the starting eleven at the expense of Rob Lee. And it certainly paid dividends as the 21 year old reproduced the type of form that earned him so many plaudits towards the end of last season.
Constantly chasing balls down and creating openings for the front pairing of Nathan Tyson and the unstoppable Tommy Mooney, he linked well with fellow midfielders Stefan Oakes and Kevin Betsy as the Blues ran riot in the opening stages.
Oakes had already gone close to netting the first with a powerful drive from 20 yards before he swung in an excellent free kick which Mike Williamson turned home on 7 minutes to give Wycombe the lead.
Without a defender in sight the centre back, who signed a two year deal with the club in the summer, simply prodded the ball past Dale keeper Matthew Gilks to repeat what he achieved at exactly the same stage last season when the side travelled to Chester City on the second day.
Rochdale rarely threatened and although the obvious threat of Gary Holt suggested he was ready to cause problems in the Blues backline, it was Wycombe who could have extended their lead when Tyson raced onto a airmail delivery from Oakes.
After breaking up an attack, the former Notts County man set Tyson on his way with pinpoint 40 yard pass but having beaten the on rushing Gilks to the ball, he was thwarted in his attempts to score by the recovering defenders.
Holt then showed why he's likely to be amongst the top scorers in League Two again this season when, after outmuscling Roger Johnson, his volley was brilliantly saved by Frank Talia.
On 20 minutes Jon Boardman saw a header crash against Talia's upright and it was these two missed opportunites that would prove crucial as moments later Bloomfield doubled Wycombe's advantage.
A sweeping move began when an Oakes corner was initially cleared straight back to the Wycombe number 4. He found Senda who delivered a cross field ball towards Roger Johnson. The captain then beat Griffiths to a header and knocked it down for Betsy to cross invitingly to Bloomfield who defied many a taller player to rise and head home.
Betsy's assist was not the sum of his contribution as he caused all number of problems to the Dale defenders. Tony Gallimore was the next to suffer when he was turned inside out but unfortunately Williamson this time just failed to connect with the low cross.
At the other end Holt had a header saved but the real goal threat was coming from the visitors and with the superb Mooney holding the ball up and bringing others into play and it was he who was involved in an excellent one touch move including Easton and Bloomfield which would eventually set up Tyson.
However, when a little more composure was required from last season's top scorer he rather snatched at his opportunity and blazed over the bar.
HT: 0-2
Rochdale began the second half purposefully looking to get themselves back into the game and Danny Senda had to be at his very best to deny Holt a shot at goal with a superb last ditch tackle that was mirrored seconds later when Talia had to be alert moments later to thwart the same man.
But it wasn't just defending that Senda was contributing to as the the attacking right back was soon on hand to skillfully trick his way past substitute Alan Goodall before whipping in a cross for Tyson who would have been disappointed not to have registered his first of the season.
Bloomfield again went close when his driven shot was pushed wide and with the Wycombe bench off their feet in anticipation of a third it seemed like it was only moments away.
After a period of sustained pressure it didn't come though and when Williamson's clumsy challenge on Blair Sturrock was penalised on 79 minutes Gary Jones stepped up to half the deficit from the penalty spot.
Jonny Dixon replaced Tyson on 87 minutes after the latter received a knock in a collision with an advertising board as the Blues held on to their slender lead.
And Rochdale came within inches of snatching a draw just one minute from time when substitutes Goodall and Sturrock combined to set up Holt whose volley fizzed just wide of Talia's goal.
Right at the death the same man tried an ambitious overhead kick which caused much less alarm as Wycombe held on to celebrate their first win of the season and showed many signs of what's in store.
FT: 1-2
Teams:
Rochdale: Gilks, Clarke, Griffiths, Boardman, Gullimore, Cartwright, Jones, Brisco (Warner 75), Jazcuzun (Goodall 67), Lambert (Sturrock 67), Holt subs not used: McArdle, Woodhall
Booked: Holt (80)
Wycombe: Talia, Senda, Easton, Williamson, Johnson, Burnell (Stonebridge 51), Oakes, Bloomfield, Mooney, Tyson (Dixon 87), Betsy subs not used: Williams, Lee, Nethercott
Booked: Tyson (51)
Referee: Mr J P Robinson
