It looked like being a disappointing afternoon for Dale when old boy Kevin Townson returned to haunt them by firing the Silkmen ahead on 23 minutes. He cut in from the right and beat two men before smashing the ball into the corner of the net.
The lead did not last long, though, as Grant Holt levelled the score for Rochdale after 31 minutes and two minutes later Alan Goodall had put the home side in front.
The two goals were virtually carbon copies as they both arrived courtesy of Rickie Lambert corners and both were headers at the far post.
Rochdale goalkeeper Matthew Gilks had to be alert to prevent Macclesfield getting on level terms, before Townson and Allan Russell were charged down by the home defenders as they tried to get a shot away on goal.
It was all over when Holt, who had hit the woodwork earlier, dodged three tackles in the Macclesfield penalty area to slide the ball past Alan Fettis and in to the Macclesfield net.
The hard working Holt, skipper for the day, might have easily celebrated the occasion with a hat-trick as he saw two further good efforts go just wide.