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Entertaining tussle in store at Spotland

4/10/2008

ROCHDALE manager Keith Hill is expecting an entertaining tussle when sixth placed Dagenham and Redbridge visit Spotland this afternoon.

Dagenham’s approach should be a far cry from that shown by recent visitors Wycombe Wanderers whose one aim was to stifle Dale’s attacking ambitions.

The Dale boss will be looking to build on last weekend’s fine 3-1 win over Accrington Stanley when his team dominated the second half and created a myriad of chances.

He said: "Dagenham and Redbridge play similar to ourselves. They play very offensively, want to score goals, and create opportunities, and they have started the season well.

"They won’t come and do what Wycombe did. I think they will play us on the front foot and try and match us with a 4-4-2 formation, so it’s important we win the physical battle.

"You have to earn the right to play football, and last week in the first half we did a lot of hard work, showed a lot of endeavour, and tried to get at the back four as quickly as we could, probably by changing our style of play a little bit so we could utilise it in the second half.

"We needed to put Accrington under pressure and we did that in the first half.

"The second half was a good performance, but it came off the back of our first half efforts."

One of the key features Dale’s performances this season has been their ability to maintain a good tempo throughout the full 90 minutes which is, as Hill acknowledges, a credit to their fitness.

He added: "We are very fit. We wear the opposition down, and if we play at a tempo the opposition can’t match then we will get a lot of goals in the later stages of the game.

"I wouldn’t say we have performed badly in the first half of matches, but in the second half, with our fitness, we have dominated."

That fitness will be well and truly tested as Dale have little respite before they face Carlisle United (kick-off 7.45pm) in the Johnstones Paint Trophy at Spotland on Tuesday night.

Hill will make some changes but is limited by a Football League ruling which says the team must contain a minimum of six regular players.

He explained: "I have to play six of my regular starters, so I can’t change the team as much as I would want to.

"I think some of the players like Marcus Holness probably deserve an opportunity.

"Lee Thorpe will be back from suspension and he needs games, but there are only so many players I can change around.

"I think I will change a few, but not too many.

"It’s a game we want to win. We know Carlisle are a good side. They are doing well in League One. They had an exceptional last season, and they are a good footballing side, so it will be a very good game to play in."

Striker Jon Shaw, pictured, (hamstring), midfielder Mark Jones (hamstring) and Simon Ramsden (calf) will miss both matches, while Thorpe is suspended for today’s game but available on Tuesday.