‘Amazing’ Dale rack up coup to defy odds

BRIAN BarryMurphy praised his “amazing” Rochdale side for pulling off a surprising win at Rotherham.

Dale endured a horror week in the buildup and arrived at the New York Stadium with nine regular first-team players out injured. But their team, which included a raft of teenagers and academy graduates, claimed the victory thanks to Aaron Morley’s firsthalf stunner.

Manager BarryMurphy said: “It was testament for the players that they have come through a difficult week and a tough run of results.

“We have had loads of adversity again over the past three or four weeks with our injury list.

“We were at the point yesterday of not having enough players to fill our bench. That is difficult for our squad, but the guys were amazing.”

Barry-Murphy also praised the winning goal which saw teenagers Luke Matheson and Morley combine.

He said: “It was an amazing move and our players have produced those moves over and over again this season. It’s not by chance, it’s by continuous practice and repetition.”

Rotherham threatened early with Matt Crooks heading against a post, before Ben Wiles’s follow-up was blocked.

The visitors had failed to threaten much, before they stung Rotherham with the opener in the 42nd minute.

It came from the right flank with 17-year-old Matheson picking out Morley, who fired a curling effort into the top corner from the edge of the penalty box.

Crooks again came close for the Millers at the start of the second half, but his effort bounced agonisingly wide.

The home side continued to push for a leveller, with Clark Robertson testing Robert Sanchez from Matt Olosunde’s cross.

Rochdale came close to a second, first through Matt Done whose long-range effort whistled just wide and then Callum Camps’s free-kick which Daniel Iversen had to push over.

Rotherham boss Paul Warne said: “They had that little bit of magic that we failed to find. I made changes. I thought it might have had a positive effect.

“We just didn’t have enough quality in the final third and it just didn’t drop to us.

“It was a good opportunity to stabilise ourselves in the top six. It feels like another setback.”