Relief for boss Robbie

Northampton 1 Rochdale 3

MANAGER Robbie Stockdale was relieved after Rochdale grabbed their first win of the season.

Max Taylor’s first-half header was immediately cancelled out by Jon Guthrie.

However, Josh Andrews (above) broke away to restore the away side’s lead 17 minutes from time before Abraham Odoh secured Stockdale’s first win as manager in stoppage-time.

“It’s a very difficult place to come and obviously the result is important,” said Stockdale.

“We had a couple of injuries at half-time as well so I was forced into a couple of substitutions and the boys who came on were fantastic. So overall it was really pleasing and it’s a relief to get that first win.

“I didn’t think we were up to our standards in the first half and I was really disappointed to be honest because we weren’t at the races either with the ball or without.

“Northampton are a very good team and they put us on the back foot. But I thought we were second best in a lot of areas and that was something we had to rectify.”

Town had started the season with two wins from two, but manager Jon Brady admitted they were not at their best against

Rochdale “There was always going to be a time when we lost a game,” admitted Brady.

“I didn’t want it to be today, obviously, but there were a few things that contrived to the loss.

“I don’t think we were at our sharpest. They go 1-0 up and we fight back to get to 1-1 but I’ve got to say, for all the stick the linesman got, their second goal wasn’t offside.

“We’ve got to defend that better.

“But we didn’t get too high after winning the first two and we certainly won’t get too low after this defeat.”