Hill adds to depleted squad ahead of home opener

Photo: Alan Ryder

Keith Hill.

Keith Hill has bolstered Rochdale's attacking options ahead of the first home game of the season tomorrow against Aldershot (Saturday 15 August, kick off 3pm).

Former Everton striker Scott Spencer has joined Dale for a month on non-contract terms and comes straight into the squad for the game tomorrow.

Spencer becomes the second player to join Dale in as many days, with defender Matt Flynn joining on a month's loan from Macclesfield yesterday. Flynn could start the game if Scott Wiseman fails to recover from the illness that kept him out of the midweek Carling Cup defeat to Sheffield Wednesday.

Spencer signed for Everton from Oldham three years ago in a deal thought to be worth more than £500,000. He never made a first team appearance for either side but has football league experience from loan spells at Yeovil and Macclesfield.

Hill knows the importance of getting Dale's first win on the board as soon as possible. He said: "Tuesday night was a one off game. It didn't really make a significant difference to our season. It would have been nice to have a cup run but our main priority is to try and be as competitive as we can in the league. I'll be more concerned if we have a similar result in Saturday's match against Aldershot."

If Wiseman is passed fit to play Hill is likely to go with the same side that picked up a point at Port Vale on the opening day of the season, with the excellent Craig Dawson continuing to deputise for Rory McArdle in the centre of the Dale defence. Ciaran Toner and Marcus Holness are struggling for fitness so once again Dale's substitutes bench is likely to contain a number of youth team players.

Rochdale will be hoping to continue the form they showed against Aldershot last season, when they completed the double over the Shots on their return to the football league. A 3-1 home success in October was followed by a 4-2 victory at Aldershot, with Joe Thompson having completed a hat-trick and Dale 4-0 up by half time.

Like Dale, Aldershot were beaten in Carling Cup action in midweek and have their own injury worries going into this weekend's game. Ben Herd picked up a knock in the opening day win over Darlington, while Dean Howell and Anthony Charles have long-term injuries.