It’s crunch clash for local rivals
ROCHDALE boss Keith Hill says his team can’t afford to overthink tonight’s match against local rivals OLDHAM.
Both sides are desperate for the points, with each in serious danger of suffering relegation from League One.
While it may be a game against one of their neighbours, Hill insists his team must stay relaxed and not get hung up on who their opponents are.
“We need to be stress free. We can’t put too much emphasis on it being our local rivals, I don’t subscribe to that and never did as a player,” he said.
“It’s not any more important than the previous game was or who we’ll play afterwards, it’s just an opponent, and we need to come up with a plan to earn the three points.”
Meanwhile, Latics manager Richie Wellens says his side need to win at least two of their last five games in order to secure their safety.
Oldham make the trip to the Crown Oil Arena knowing a win will see them move four points clear of Hill’s side, and Wellens is well aware of how vital the remaining games are.
“We need two wins from these five games. I think 52 points should be enough to stay up but we’ll see,” he said. “It’s a local derby, the tempo is going to be really high and I expect us to take a lot of fans there.
“The players are working as hard as they possibly can, they’re showing everything and they’re showing character. At the minute, we’re not getting that little bit of luck.
“If we perform as we are at the minute then I’m looking forward to it, because we’ll get our chances.
“We’ll go there with our spirits high even though we conceded a last-minute equaliser on Saturday, and we’ll do our very best to win the game.
“For me it’s like a cup final. If you win, you take a massive step towards what you want to achieve. If you lose, then obviously it’s a massive dent.
“Just leave everything on the pitch. Go for the win. If we win both the next two games then it will put us in really good stead.”
BURY are also in action for the first time since having their relegation confirmed, as they head to Doncaster Rovers, while high-flying WIGAN ATHLETIC host Oxford United.