Hill fearing Dale could do ‘a Stockport’ and drop out of the league
ROCHDALE’S survival quest is back in their own hands with two games to go.
Tuesday night’s 1-1 draw against play-off chasing Plymouth at the Crown Oil Arena saw Keith Hill’s men move level with Oldham – who lost 3-0 at home to Southend – and Walsall, who have a game in hand, on 48 points in the League One table.
But superior goal difference saw Hill’s men climb out of the bottom four for the first time since mid-December.
Dale head to Oxford on Saturday knowing that, if they can match Oldham’s results in the last two fixtures, they will escape the drop.
“We have two games left and it is in our hands so embrace it, take it on,” said boss Hill. “Let’s try our best to get six points from the next two games.
“It could be that we don’t need any more points – but I’d prefer to get the six points if at all possible. Rather than falling over the line it would be nice to embrace it and go for it. But who knows? It’s a rollercoaster this season.”
Hill said they could approach the games free from fear of dropping into the fourth tier – with the manager revealing what he genuinely dreads.
“We want to stay in League One because my concern is when I look at Tranmere and Chesterfield, York City and Stockport County – that is the real concern. I don’t fear going into League Two, my fear is going out of existence, going into non-league.
“We are in League One performing against the grain of this club. The real worry is obscurity, non-league football. That is obscurity.”