Henderson double is difference for Dale
BEMUSED boss Keith Hill hit back at his critics after Rochdale’s comfortable win at Doncaster.
Two late Ian Henderson goals wrapped up Rochdale’s first win in eight attempts as they completed a classic ‘smash and grab’ victory.
Hill’s men effectively stiffled Doncaster’s creativity with centre-backs Jim McNulty and Oliver Lancashire leading a determined rearguard.
And, although they have lost just one in six, Hill has come under fire following Dale’s slide down the table.
Hill said: “Rochdale will always struggle and achieving results in League One is always going to be tough for us.
“People have asked why Rochdale have not done as well of late and I just do not understand where the panic is coming from.
“Do people actually want me to leave the club? I do not understand football at times.
“We are ambitious as players and we know what we have to do to bring success to the club.
“I made the changes today and it was a wellexecuted game plan.
“Sometimes you just need to have patience and let players rebuild their confidence.”
Cerdic Evina hit an effort against the post on 17 minutes, before Conor Grant fired weakly at Castro Pereira.
Andy Williams then wasted a great chance to score when he volleyed wide despite being in plenty of space on 25 minutes.
Pereira got down low to superbly turn a Williams strike away for a corner and keep the scores level in first-half stoppage time.
Donal McDermott fired well wide for Rochdale on 66 minutes, before he hit a tame shot from distance straight at Stuckmann a minute later.
But the deadlock was finally broken when Henderson finished off a superb Rochdale counter attack on 84 minutes. Henderson wrapped up the win five minutes into stoppage time when he tapped home from a yard out after McDermott picked him out after his initial shot was well saved.
New Doncaster boss Darren Ferguson challenged his players to produce more.
“I want to see the players demand more from each other, you have got to be at it every minute,” he said.
“We were flat and didn’t have that cutting edge.We didn’t really get going in the second half.
“In a game like this you need a bit of magic, but unfortunately it has come from them.
“We set out to win every game, especially at home and, in games like this, you need to make sure you do not lose.
“We have to go again and it is a big game on Tuesday, one that we need to get a result from.”