The Dale wants YOU! – Dagenham vs Rochdale preview

Chris Dunphy wants the Rochdale public to get along to Spotland

Amidst rallying cries from the chairman for the Rochdale public to get along to Spotland and support ‘The Dale’ in their bid to reach the League Two play-offs, Rochdale travel to Dagenham tomorrow, Saturday 11 April, in search of a sixth consecutive victory.

With Dale currently on the crest of a wave, which could even propel them into the third automatic promotion place come the end of the season, Chairman Chris Dunphy is perplexed at the lack of support his club are getting from within the town.

Rochdale made a top seven finish increasingly likely with a 4-2 win over Notts County at Spotland on Tuesday but there were little over 2,500 people there to see it.

Not only have the Dale completely reversed their home fortunes, winning their last five games at Spotland, they are winning with a style of football that would have any neutral football fan purring.

They have scored a total of 17 goals in those five wins and three different players scored hat-tricks in the process. Adam Le Fondre got the ball rolling with three against Accrington and then Chris Dagnall made a near-miracle return to the side after six months out through injury, scoring a hat-trick inside ten minutes when coming off the bench against Rotherham. Rene Howe completed the remarkable statistic when he hit three against Grimsby last Saturday.

“At this moment in time we have the best product out on the pitch that we have had for a lifetime,” said Dunphy. “It is disappointing that the town of Rochdale is not getting behind us in the numbers that it deserves. I have said it time and again that the small band of supporters that we have are simply the best in the country but where is everyone else?”

“I would say to those people that haven’t got behind us – this is your town and your team. Where are you?”

Rochdale’s tremendous away following will be in action again tomorrow, when they make the long journey down to Dagenham in what is expected to be very large numbers.

But anyone who wants to get along to Spotland to support the side’s play-off push don’t have long to wait as Dale take on Barnet at home on Tuesday night, kick-off 7.45pm.

Keith Hill will have three new additions available for team selection for tomorrow’s game. Reports suggest that Rory McArdle, Nathan Stanton and Ben Muirhead, who missed Tuesday’s win because they were stuck in motorway traffic, made it off the M62 and caught the team bus with time to spare as it left for London this morning!

Indeed Hill faces something of a selection headache going into the game. McArdle and Stanton are likely to return despite strong performances from their replacements Nathan D’Laryea and Marcus Holness. Joe Thompson started on the right wing on Tuesday but that position is likely to be contested by Muirhead and Chris Basham. Muirhead has performed strongly in recent home games but Basham played in his stead in the last away game, at Brentford, to add stability to the midfield.

Rochdale (likely): Lee, Ramsden, Kennedy, Stanton, McArdle, Basham, Perkins, Jones, Rundle, Howe, Le Fondre.