Rochdale v ROVERS

Here we go again, trying to make sense of what has now become a total season of woe. We now have seven games to help to get the points needed to stay up.

On Saturday we visit Spotland, Rochdale for the return fixture from November when Ian Henderson scored both goals in Rochdale's 2-0 win at the Keepmoat. The good thing for us is that he will be suspended for this game following his sending off at Wigan.

Darren Ferguson has admitted that his side face a tough assignment when they go to Spotland. It is a game with major implications at both ends of the table. DF has called on his side to breathe some life into their ailing campaign.

" We must take the positives from the Blackpool game to Rochdale and whilst it is a different game and opposition, what we saw on Monday was a lot more aggression, headers, tackles, and second balls won".

"You hope that one win gets you up and running again, and we know we need that soon". " It's a case of having a clear focus on every game we play, we did against Blackpool, we need to do the same at Rochdale but with a different result".

Peterborough and Colchester have both done this recently where they get one win and it spurs them on to more of the same. " We have to believe in ourselves so we can then go on to get more wins".

It looks like Paul Keegan will miss the final run in and Gary MacKenzie will also miss this game at least. The good thing is that we have Luke McCullough will be back from Northern Ireland duty.

"Looking back to Easter, they were two massive must win games but we came away with two more defeats". " People probably think we are doomed now so that will take some of the pressure off the players". he added.

Rochdale have proved to be a good team with plenty of pace, it is always difficult to go there, but we have to expose them by getting control of the game from the start. Darren Frerguson was speaking to the press as was new loan signing from Norwich, Remi Matthews.

Keeper Matthews spoke of his surprise that Rovers are in their current position in League One.

" We've got it all to play for, like I said when I got here, we are fighting relegation and it's not been a great first two games". said 22 year old Matthews. " If I am sitting here with two games to go then maybe I won't be as positive, but we still have twenty one points to play for".

I thought we dug deep against Blackpool and if Tommy Rowe's shot which hit the bar had gone in then it would have been a different game. I was at the other end and had little to do in that second half, they come down, get a lucky deflection which goes in and that's that". he added.

" When I came here I saw a very good team spirit,which was a positive, much like Burton earlier at the start of the season. We have some great players in this team, who stick together. One win will change everything".

If you are going to Rochdale, enjoy the game, if we win I will not go out and buy a cat so I can kick it, but let's try and look on the bright side.


Match Officials

Referee Darren Bond

Assists Ollie Yates and Joseph Johnson

4th Off. Mark Jones.