Morecambe vs Rochdale - Match Preview

Photo: Jon Coluccio

Chris Dagnall's superb volley put Dale ahead just before half time

Rochdale's squad numbers have been cut by three this week and manager Keith Hill will be forced to make at least one change to the side that drew at Lincoln last Friday night.

Jordan Rhodes will not feature after his loan spell ended and he returned to Ipswich. That leaves the door open for either Adam Le Fondre or Chris Dagnall to make their return to first team action up front alongside Lee Thorpe.

Meanwhile Kallum Higginbotham and Kyle Lambert have gone out on loan in order to further their first team chances. Higginbotham's move is perhaps the more surprising given his role in helping Dale reach the play-off final last season but this term he has found a first team place hard to come by with the emergence of Will Buckley on the right wing.

Other than the enforced change up front, Hill's side to face Morecambe is likely to remain the same. Dagnall is the more likely of the two strikers to enter the fray after he showed improved confidence and scored a goal against Carlisle in Johnstones Paint Trophy, while Le Fondre squandered an excellent opportunity to snatch the three points in the dying stages at Cincil Bank.

Hill will definitely stick to the newly formed midfield pairing of Gary Jones and Ciaran Toner because Clark Keltie is suspended for tomorrow's game after picking up five yellow cards.

Morecambe will relying on Rene Howe to hit the net and drag them out of a slump which culminated in a 5-0 thumping at Gillingham last weekend. Howe spent the back end of last season on loan with Dale and played a major part in getting them to the play-off. The Dale backline, who have only kept one clean sheet all season, will be wary of the powerful forward's power and finishing ability.

Manager Sammy McIlroy, however, has been concentrating on things at the other end after his defence's capitulation at Gillingham and he has hinted at wholesale changes across his backline.