Dalians aim to stall table-toppers’ charge

ROCHDALIANS boss Mark Wilson reckons his side face a stern test against top of the table Whalley Range at the weekend.

He will be hoping his side can to deliver a substantial blow to damage their opponents’ title charge.

They will have to do this however, without the services of central defender Scott Hopley, who has started all sixteen games he has featured in, following him being ruled out through injury.

The gloves will firmly be off at the weekend as Rochdalians, the current Lancashire and Cheshire Premier Division champions, will not want to surrender their title so easily.

“Whalley Range are a very strong side who had won the league six years in a row, but we were able to break that cycle,” said Wilson. Obviously we are not in the running for this year and we have not beaten them for a number of years so it will be a very tough game for us.

“We will be doing our best and that is all I can ask of my players.”

Despite last Saturday’s game being postponed, the Dalians suffered their first defeat in four games the weekend before, but Wilson thinks that will not be on the mind of his players.

“The lads knew that we had a team that was not quite at full strength that day and a game against Old Trafford and Gorse Hill is a tough fixture anyway.

“The players know that and they will be focusing and looking forward to the challenge at the weekend.”

With calmness and realism personified Wilson spoke in a demeanour of a focused individual.

For the head coach he appreciates that a result against Whalley Range could send a message out to the mini-league of teams surrounding Rochdalians.

“The top two teams Whalley Range and Mellor are running away with the title,” he said.

“The two places are already established and really now it is a formality between the two sides of who finishes first or second.

“Then there is the rest and including us there is a big group of teams all bunched together who have lost five, six or even seven games.

“With us involved, we are trying to get the highest position we can, and a win at the weekend certainly would not harm our chances.”

There are no fresh injury concerns as Wilson and his side gear up for the bout on Saturday.