'All teams will fear us' - Hill ahead of Cheltenham trip

Photo: Jon Coluccio

Dale boss Keith Hill.

Rochdale will be looking to extend their unbeaten run to ten games and increase their lead at the top of league two when they visit Cheltenham tomorrow.

Manager Keith Hill is expecting a tough challenge from Cheltenham, as their boss Mark Yates looks to get one over on his former team mate.

Hill said: "We are professional about our preparation before each game and this one is no different. We will be well prepared come game time and we have had Cheltenham watched recently.

"I previously played for Cheltenham so that adds to the game and Mark Yates is a good friend of mine so he will be looking to get one over on me.

"It is an opportunity for us to increase our points total and no disrespect to Cheltenham we will be going there to win the game.

"All teams will fear us a bit because we are at the top of the league and we have no fear going into any game."

The Dale boss commented after the Aldershot game in midweek that ideally he would like more options coming from the bench as the season reaches a key stage and injuries and suspensions may soon start to kick in.

"Looking at the squad we only had 15 outfield players on Tuesday," said Hill. "That is not enough to get anyone promoted. We need more players."

Hill moved to address that problem yesterday when he captured winger Andy Howarth on loan from Blackburn for the rest of the season.

"Kallum Higginbotham was our only offensive option on the bench on Tuesday and we needed more options. Kallum came on and we put Chris O'Grady on the right hand side and that did work but we need more from our bench."

Meanwhile the future of mercurial talent Will Buckley remains in the balance. The winger has been the subject of fierce transfer speculation and has not played for Dale since the end of November. Hill found it hard to hide his anger at the situation when he said after the Aldershot game, "I'm not sure about him. You will have to speak to his agent. He has all the news on Will Buckley."

That statement makes it unlikely that Buckley will feature at the weekend, and Dale are likely to remain unchanged from the side that drew at Aldershot in midweek, although new signing Howarth will of course be challenging for a start.

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