The Opposition View – Rochdale

In the wake of yesterday’s unlucky 2-1 defeat at home to Rochdale, here are some views on the game from Dale manager John Coleman and a few of the visiting fans.

“We started well but we didn’t capitalise on that,” said Coleman in his post match interview.

“Give Wycombe their due, they took the game to us after that. They could have scored three times before they scored, and fair play to them, they pressed us back and I think they were the better team in the first half.”

“Second half we were a lot better, and I think in the end we probably deserved to win.”

Commenting on the good fortune surrounding the deflected winner, Coleman said: “I don’t think we’d had any luck all afternoon to be honest. We’d had a couple of half chances and a couple of blocks and missed a couple of chances ourselves. But if you keep peppering their goal which we did in the second half, eventually it will turn out for you.”

“I feel for them to be honest because when you’re scrapping for your lives and trying to get wins, things like that seem to come against you when you’re at your lowest. But they’ve got a good manager in Gareth and I think he’ll more than be enough to propel them up the league. They showed a lot of character and spirit today Wycombe, and I don’t think they’ll have any problem.”

When asked about Dale’s failed penalty appeal, Coleman said: “I think everybody in the ground thought it was a penalty apart from the one who matters which is the referee. The lad’s tried to stay up twice before he’s actually gone down, it’s adding insult to injury to yellow card him. If you don’t think it’s a penalty, it’s certainly not a dive.”


Having just endured a season every bit as dismal as Wycombe’s, the Dale fans are naturally delighted at the way their team has started the current campaign.

The following extracts are taken from RochdaleAFC.com


Sandy lane lad wrote:
‘A battling/scrapping away win.’


TalkingSutty wrote:
‘We aren’t the finished article but it feels good to know that we have a team full of battlers, the gutless displays last season made us all feel physically sick at times.’


Dale1990 wrote:
‘There are a lot of teams who can do well this season. All it takes is a good run of form to get into the playoffs. In Grant we have someone who is a class above the rest and if he keeps scoring then we have a chance.’


Quigley Dale wrote:
‘That’s the 3rd time in recent years that we’ve secured 3 points at Wycombe with an injury time winner.’


D Dale wrote:
‘Our tally of 18 away goals is better than any other L2 team, but only Aldershot and Wycombe have scored fewer than our 7 home goals. Why, I wonder?’


aleanddale wrote:
‘Dale top out of 92 clubs. Not often we can claim anything like this but Dale currently have scored more away goals than any other team in the leagues.’


ColDale wrote:
‘Absolutely footballed Wycombe to death. Worst side we have seen this season and it could have been a landslide had we been more clinical. They had no midfield and we passed it round them for fun. Can see them going down.’


ThreeLions wrote:
‘Col you appear to have upset one or two Wycombe fans with your opinion, read their forum.’


ColDale wrote:
‘I saw that. I’m not exactly the type to come on here making OTT statements. I thought Wycombe were awful and it showed from the first minute to the last. Had we left there yesterday with just a point, it would have been an injustice and I’d have been rightly disappointed. Wycombe weren’t totally talentless. The two fellas up front had plenty about them, but their midfield was non existent and we could and should have put the game to bed a long time before we did. We swarmed all over them time and time again. We passed it round them for fun and at times, we would regain possession easily. I am surprised that our possession stat is only 58%.’


YouTubeDale wrote:
‘Dale had slightly the better of the chances overall.’


modelboydave wrote:
‘Listening to Ainsworth on 3 counties radio, his summary – Wycombe were robbed – Wycombe totally dominated and could scored a lot more – He is proud of his players – Rochdale were lucky!!’


TVOS1907 wrote:
‘They looked quite threatening going forward in the first half and created one or two openings, but after the break they deteriorated, whatever Ainsworth claims.’


phomem wrote:
‘I thought Dale were excellent first 15 and then Wycombe shaded the rest of the half and deserved to be level. After the break the teams cancelled each other out but in the last 10 Dale got on top again and the rest as they say is history.’


middale wrote:
‘The first half was even and incredibly open, the second half was pretty much one long Dale siege. It was a great team performance. Dale looked fluid and imaginative across all the midfield/attacking areas. It was the most Hill-esque performance I’ve seen from a Coleman team.’


boffley wrote:
‘The team performance was certainly better than it has been for some considerable while. One touch football on the floor was a pleasant change . The defence still needs tightening but overall a very promising performance.’


CockneyDale wrote:
‘I wouldn’t say we bossed the whole thing, but there was an extended spell in the second half where Wycombe barely touched the ball, especially as they tired. The first half was more even. Our side definitely looked better over the whole game.’


rochdale1 wrote:
‘Good to see all the players around Coleman after the winning goal. Shows they wanted it. That’s what I personally think we need more of, players showing what it means to them, the management, and the fans. We have become detached as fans, but perhaps if they keep grinding out results and showing us we are all a team again, things will get better.’


Next Game: Northampton v Wycombe – Sat 17th Nov – 3.00pm