Awful Dale let off hook by Stanley

VIEW FROM THE CLAYTON END

AT the interval on Saturday I thought we were in a good position.

Yes, Billy had missed two sitters and we hadn’t managed to break through. But, cor blimey, Rochdale looked awful.

I was sure that Coley would fire a rocket up the players and we’d pass Rochdale off the pitch in the second half. That didn’t happen. We failed to register a shot on target and conceded from a sloppy set piece. Dropping points at Spotland we’ve done before, dropping points when we know we have a better side than them is a touch more alien of a feeling.

But after this month, are we a better side at all?

The front two were passengers at the weekend. A nonfactor. Kee failed to impose himself and Zanzala was feeding off scraps that were never really there to go off anyway. Why were we playing lump football?

It went against all we’ve come to expect last season and wasn’t a good advert for what we can do. I was hoping Tuesday would provide a boost against a side we have an excellent record against in recent times. Stay tuned for that one, folks.

All the positivity off the field from recent times came to a head as 640 Stanley fans travelled the short distance to Greater Manchester.

I must admit it had a strange feeling to it in the away end. As we attract more in numbers, I’m seeing those familiar faces a little bit less around the place.

I’m not looking down my nose at more fans because I’ve been begging for them for the best part of two decades.

It might just take them a little bit to get up to scratch on how we do things.

There was mass exodus on 85 – 85 minutes and you’re leaving. Why? There were five additional so that meant the team went a full 10 not getting the support they deserved. The support they’ve earnt over the last 18 months, and that doesn’t sit right with me.

There was only 3500 on the game, it’s hardly dashing to beat the traffic and then it’s only 45 minutes home. Stay right through, cheer on the lads and applaud them at the end.

That’s what sets Accrington Stanley apart from the rest. That’s why we’re great.

Tuesday night’s result was a sucker punch when we least needed it.

After taking the lead you always hope to see out the game, but Wycombe battled well and deservedly got back into the game.

Their winner is shocking defending on our part. Dress it up however you like. It’s bad.

We’re now without a win for the best part of six weeks in the league, 20th October to be exact, and that’s just not good enough.

What we need to concentrate on is grinding out results again like we saw earlier this season.

We have some massive games on the horizon and for all the carnival of Sunderland visiting, all the lovely handshakes and applauding of the club with nice tweets, we need to win football matches. And we need to win football matches now.

Teams can drop like stones in the football league and to tempt fate after what this team achieved last year doesn’t bare thinking about.

So, let’s keep our chins up. Carry on trying to play that expansive game which has served us so well and get some points on the board.

We certainly don’t want to be making them up if we get to April next year.