Sam Winnall was the hat-trick hero as Barnsley thrashed Rochdale 6-1 for their fourth league victory in a row.

Goals early in each half from Alfie Mawson and Winnall put the Reds in control against the side managed by their former boss Keith Hill. Dale pulled one back but the Reds ran riot with Winnall completing his treble with strikes either side of his assist for Marley Watkins' goal before Kevin Long completed the rout in injury-time.

Barnsley are 17th in League One, five points clear of the relegation zone and ten behind the play-off places.

George Williams made his first start since the opening day of the season out of position at left-back in place of the injured Aidy White. He played well but was barely tested as Barnsley dominated most the match.

Rochdale started brightly, and could have taken the lead when Peter Vincenti volleyed over from inside the box, but instead it was the Reds who got the first goal after eight minutes. Adam Hammill floated in an excellent free-kick from the left and Mawson flicked a header into the top right corner. It was the centre-back's sixth goal of the season and his second in two matches.

Williams stopped the visitors from levelling by clearing an effort off the line by Callum Camps after a long throw caught Barnsley out.

Hammill was later put clean through on the left wing but his attempted lob from 25 yards went well wide. Hammill then produced an outrageous back heel in an excellent Barnsley move which finished with Winnall not being able to get enough power on his touch from a James Bree cross that was saved.

It was 2-0 seven minutes into the second half. Marley Watkins' clever flick put Hammill in down the left wing with Rochdale outnumbered. Hammill had plenty of options but chose a low cross to Winnall who converted at the near post from five yards out.

Winnall forced a good save from a tight angle and set up a fine chance for Conor Hourihane who shot wide when well-placed.

The visitors pulled one back when Nathaniel Mendez-Laing headed Michael Rose's right-sided corner into the left of the goal. But Winnall restored the two-goal lead four minutes later with another close range finish after substitute Ashley Fletcher fired in a good low cross from the right.

Fletcher missed a one-on-one chance for 4-1 but the Reds fans had more to cheer when Josh Scowen came off the bench for his first appearance after two months out with a knee injury. Watkins eventually got the fourth with a good finish from the right side of the box after latching onto Winnall's pass.

Winnall then made it five with a header into an empty net after Fletcher had beaten Rochdale goalkeeper Josh Lillis to a long ball. Long then headed in the last goal from a Hourihane cross to complete a superb afternoon for Barnsley.