Jones set for Dale return

Photo: Jon Coluccio

Gary Jones will return to the Rochdale starting 11 on Saturday.

Club captain Gary Jones will start for Rochdale for the first time in nine games when Rotherham visit Spotland on Saturday (2 January, kick off 3pm).

Jones picked up an injury during Dale's 3-2 home defeat to Chesterfield in mid-November and since he has returned to fitness the form of Jason Taylor and Jason Kennedy has kept him out of the first eleven. But a gentleman's agreement between Dale and Rotherham, Taylor's parent club, means that the midfielder can not play in the game between the two sides and Jones will return.

Tom Heaton, who made his debut in that game against Chesterfield, will retain his place in goal for Dale after his loan from Manchester United was extended by another month. The young keeper has been a popular addition to the Dale squad, winning seven of his nine games and keeping four clean sheets.

Other than the enforced change, Keith Hill is set to name the same side that despatched of Morecambe on Monday with Chris O'Grady and Will Atkinson the other loan players hoping to fit in as many games as possible before their spells at Spotland end.

Dale will be hoping to extend their unbeaten run to nine games and extend a lead over their opponents to 15 points. Rotherham have not played in three weeks, with the weather putting paid to their last three fixtures, but they remain well placed in third spot and would close the gap on Dale to nine points with three games in hand with victory on Saturday.

The game sees a return to Spotland for Adam Le Fondre, the star striker who has hit 14 goals since joining Rotherham from Dale in the summer and who was on the scoresheet in Rotherham's victory over Dale in August.

Visit Rochdale Online over the course of the weekend for half time and full time match reports and action photographs.