Hill bolsters injury hit defence - Barnet match preview

Out of action: Dale right back Simon Ramsden picked up a knock in training

Rochdale manager Keith Hill has entered the loan market for the second time this season after another of his defenders was added to a quite lengthy injury list. Hill has brought in 20 year old full back Kelvin Lomax from Oldham Athletic on a month's loan after regular Dale right back Simon Ramsden picked up a knock in training that could rule him out of this Saturday's game at Barnet.

The loan move could indicate that Nathan Stanton and Nathan D'Laryea are both still some way from full match fitness despite Dale not having had a game for two weeks; their home game with Wrexham having been postponed at the weekend due to the visitors' having a number of international call-ups.

Lomax comes to Dale having been on the fringes of Oldham's first team and his manager John Sheridan will hope he gets a few games under his belt during his stay at Spotland so that he can further push his first team claims at Boundary Park. Thus far he has made 22 appearances for the Latics, having made his debut in 2004 when he was only 17.

Rochdale will travel to Barnet in high spirits following their exhilerating, if undeserved, win of Milton Keynes Dons and the two week break since that fixture will have given the coaching staff chance to iron out Dale's defensive problems, although of course the injury to Ramsden will not have aided that preparation.

Dale have conceded eight goals in the league thus far and are yet to keep a clean sheet.

Other than Lomax's inclusion it is likely that Dale will field the same side that snatched victory from the jaws of defeat against the Dons, although Gary Jones will be available for selection having missed the last game as his wife was giving birth to their second child. It gives Hill a selection headache for the two midfield positions with David Perkins and John Doolan having performed so well together at the back end of last season when Jones was out through injury.

Another position that Keith Hill will be pondering over is the left wing. Adam Rundle has been the preferred option for the last six months but Rory Prendergast has made a couple of bright substitute appearances this season, not least that which saw him play a large part in the late late show against Milton Keynes, and he could now step up to the starting eleven.

Chris Dagnall and Glenn Murray are likely to continue their partnership up front despite Adam Le Fondre's goal and assist in the M K win when coming off the bench. Dagnall is in magnificent form, scoring three of Dale's five league goals so far, including a brace in the last match, and the two weeks off will have given Murray the rest he needed after he was perhaps rushed back to first team action too quickly after injury.

Barnet, meanwhile, are expected to be able to field goalkeeper Lee Harrison despite picking up an ankle injury in training. If he plays the keeper will make his 300th appearance. Manager Paul Fairclough has extended the stay of Danny Hart at the London club. The 18 year-old was on non-contract terms but an impressive start to his Bees career has seen him land a two year deal.

The Bees have made an indifferent start to their season. The secured a hard earned draw at newly promoted Dagenham last weekend and that followed a superb 2-1 win over Bradford City the previous week, James Puncheon scoring a last minute winner. Puncheon is the Bees' top scorer with three league goals but his other two came in losing causes away at Brentford and at home to Hereford.

Rochdale will want to avenge the double that Barnet secured over them last season. Dale suffered a 3-2 reverse at Underhill, striker Tresor Kandol, now at Leeds United, scoring all three Barnet goals, and then Barnet sunk any outside playoff hopes Dale may have had towards the end of the season with a comprehensive 2-0 win at Spotland.

Barnet vs Rochdale - kick off 3pm at Underhill, Saturday 15 September.

Likely teams:

Rochdale: Spencer, Lomax, Kennedy, Branston, McArdle, Muirhead, Doolan, Perkins, Rundle, Dagnall, Murray.

Barnet: Harrison, Devera, Yakubu, Burton, Gillet, Carew, Bishop, Porter, Puncheon, Thomas, Birchall.