Coleman makes winning start

New boss John Coleman breathed life into Rochdale's League One survival hopes by orchestrating an 3-0 victory over Bury.

Coleman, who took charge at Spotland this week, had his troops fired up for the clash and the Shakers were caught cold as the hosts tore into them from the off.

Dale were close to scoring in the first minute when skipper Gary Jones forced a good save out of Cameron Belford. The Bury goalkeeper pulled off another fine stop to keep out Jones' 15th-minute header, but on that occasion Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro was on hand to poke home the opening goal.

The second came four minutes before the break. A sweeping move started on the edge of his own area by Brian Barry-Murphy ended with Belford parrying Jason Kennedy's shot into the path of Ashley Grimes, and he applied a close-range finish.

The result was wrapped up when Grimes met Adams' near-post cross to crash the third into the roof of the net from close-range.

But for Belford, the margin of victory could have been wider as he pulled off fine saves to deny Andrew Tutte and pushed Kevin Long's header onto the foot of a post.