Gaffer sets next challenge for his Dale high-flyers
ROBBIE Stockdale has set the next challenge for his in-form Rochdale squad – to keep their unbeaten run going.
Dale are six games without defeat in all competitions and head to Mansfield on Saturday before next Tuesday’s Carabao Cup fixture against Burnley at Turf Moor.
Their latest victory came at the Crown Oil Arena on Saturday when they edged a highly entertaining clash courtesy of Danny Cashman’s 84th minute winner.
“At any level, six games unbeaten is strong form,” said Stockdale.
“I watched the players enjoying it at the end and you have got to enjoy your wins. But the next challenge is to extend it. Enjoy it, but come Monday go again and look forward to the next game.
“Tranmere are a very difficult side to break down, defensively they are very good and I think they will be up there challenging at the end of the season. It’s probably the most pleasing win I’ve had so far given the standard of the opposition.”
Cashman’s goal proved decisive and was no less than Dale deserved for a fine performance – though it could have been a very different story. Though Tranmere were second best on the day, they still carried enough threat to have nicked it – and struck the woodwork twice, the second time deep into the eight minutes of stoppage time broight about by an injury to Rovers goalkeeper Joe Murphy early in the second half.
“Clean sheets are our starting point,” said Stockdale. “For all everyone wants to see attacking football and us score a lot of goals compared to other teams in the four divisions, we’re highest scorers and that’s fantastic for the supporters to see that, but from my point of view as a manager it’s ‘keep a clean sheet’ because if we do that one goal is enough for us.”
The win at the Crown Oil Arena has moved Dale up to fifth in the Sky Bet League Two table but Stockdale isn’t getting carried away.
“I always remember back to a couple of games in when everyone was saying, ‘what’s this squad going to do’, when basically we’ve done nothing. We’ve got to probably where we deserve to be and the next challenge is to kick on - that’s the challenge to all the players and staff. Let’s not get complacent - complacency hurts us and I don’t see any reasons for that. We go into a week now where we can prepare properly for the next game.”
Stockdale said the players’ persistence was the most pleasing aspect of the weekend’s win.
“Tranmere are a very strong, competitive team. We know their strengths and defensively they are very good.
“They had only conceded two goals prior to this game in the league, so it was always going to be difficult but I thought the players’ persistence in the way we want to play and their attitude to keep going even though they could have got frustrated at times was really good,” he said.
“It was a really big win for us. I think Tranmere will be up there challenging at the top end of the table, so it’s really pleasing to get the three points.
“I think we deserved to win. Micky [Mellon - Tranmere Rovers manager], is a guy that I’ve got so much respect for, and he’ll point to the fact that they’ve missed a glorious chance at the end there to equalise and I agree, and probably on the balance of it, the player should score, but I thought we earned that luck.
“I thought the eight minutes threw us a bit when the board went up and obviously they are going to throw more players forward, but we’ve got some young centre-backs and a back five that is relatively young, and a midfielder and two young number 10s in those position, so it’s learning for them and when that board goes up, it’s just keep doing the same thing and clear your minds.
“It’s a really pleasing victory against a strong team.”
And Stockdale explained what pleased him most about the victory.
“The resilience to keep going. It would have been easy to get frustrated with ourselves with the opportunities that we were creating. I think we had 16 shots, only three of those were on target, so that needs to improve.
“But again, the substitutes come on and lift us again and that’s saying nothing about the boys that were on from the start because they did really well as well, and it’s nice to have those options off the bench.”