Accrington got off to the perfect start by scoring after only 58 seconds when former Liverpool trainee John Miles pounced on a loose ball 20 yards from goal and rifled in an unstoppable drive.
For a short period the visitors struggled with Accrington's direct approach but with chances coming and going at each end Keith Hill's side slowly but surely began to take control.
They grabbed a deserved equaliser on 38 minutes when teenage winger Will Buckley danced into the box and was pulled down. After the usual arguments had died down, Adam Le Fondre calmly slotted home from the spot.
Before the break teenager Jordan Rhodes, on loan from Ipswich Town, had two almost identical chances to give Dale the lead. However, the first was brilliantly saved by home keeper Kenny Arthur, and from the second his deflected effort landed on top of the crossbar.
The second half, with Rochdale kicking down the considerable slope, was virtually one-way traffic and the visitors got their noses in front on 57 minutes when man-of-the-match, 18-year-old Buckley, skipped past full-back Chris King before firing past Arthur from 15 yards.
By now the visitors were in complete control, creating a host of chances and at times Arthur stood between them and a cricket score. However, it wasn't until the dying seconds that they underlined their superiority with a third goal.
Skipper Gary Jones burst through the middle of the home rearguard and, after a bout of pinball in the penalty area, Rhodes pounced from close range to make the points safe and move his side to within one point of the play-off places.