Hendo’s Boxing Day Dale boost
ROCHDALE boss Brian Barry-Murphy is hopeful talismanic striker Ian Henderson will be back for tomorrow’s Boxing Day clash against Fleetwood.
The club’s leading scorer was absent for Saturday’s trip to Burton Albion after suffering a dead leg injury in the FA Cup victory at Boston five days earlier.
BBM said Hendo had made good progress but the weekend’s game came too soon for him. However, the signs are better for the festive fixtures ahead.
“Ian had a dead leg after the challenge on Monday night and they can be just a slight fatigue after through Callum Camps’ with the way we played in good to see that in the second-half quite sore,” said BBM. “He the game on Monday strike, the Dale boss felt the first-half really. We got and is what I was in no fit state to be night, which was on a his side allowed Burton our goal having started would expect to see from involved (at Burton), but heavy pitch and it took our back into the game. the game really brightly, us.” he’s made a lot of progress lads a few days to recover However, he praised his but from then on, we Ollie Rathbone in the last couple of days, from that,” said BBM. players for their secondhalf didn’t play with the intensity, returned to the side but so heading into Thursday “I don’t like to make display. the speed or the had to be withdrawn during and the weekend, he excuses but I thought “I thought we were brilliant aggressive nature that I the first-half. should be close to being in there were elements of the in the second-half would associate with us. “Ollie had a slight problem contention.” first-half that had a reflection and played well for large “I thought we let Burton with his groin, which
Aaron Morley, whose on that and it was parts of it,” said BarryMurphy. take the game to us and is a different injury to penalty clinched victory at good to see us look a lot we almost took a step what he’s had before. He’s Boston and set up a fresher in the secondhalf.” “The performance had a back. The first-half was just at that stage of the mouth-waterinng Third real imprint of the way we very disappointing, and season where he’s having Round home tie against Barry-Murphy thought like to do things with great whilst the second-half was problems with his physical Newcastle United, was his side put in a “brilliant” speed, great courage and I good, it isn’t good enough conditioning. also ruled out of contention second-half display in was very happy with it. for us to accept that. We “Whilst we try to get for Burton and could Saturday’s 3-1 defeat at “We were aggressive always want more from him back, we have to be also line up against Fleetwood Burton Albion but was and on the front foot. our players. mindful of the fact that we tomorrow. disappointed with the There was a real burst of “I just thought that in have to protect him, and
“Aaron had a slight issue opening period. energy with the way we the first-half we were a little we just couldn’t take any with his thigh in training Despite taking the lead played. bit passive and not on chances with him having on Thursday and it was after just two minutes “I was disappointed the front foot. So, it was been absent for so long.”
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