Stealth raid on relegation rivals
KEITH Hill wants Rochdale to be ‘like stealth bombers’ as they creep up on League One relegation rivals by winning games in hand.
Dale head to Rotherham United on the back of a first league win in four at Walsall on Tuesday, a convincing 3-0 victory.
As they sit nine points from safety, Hill wants his side to go under the radar in their fight to preserve third-tier status.
“I don’t want to go over the top when we win and then fall on our backsides at Rotherham,” said Hill. “It’s got to be back to back, to back to back wins.
“The players realise the position we’re in and it’s going to have to be a minor miracle.
“We have to win these games so we’re like a stealth bomber. We have to sneak up silently on these teams. When we’re playing, they’ll have their feet up with a cup of tea watching a box set and they should be looking at the league table and wondering where on earth we’ve come from. But that’s up to the players to do that because our plans to win football matches are pretty spot on.
“I’ve always been a realist with this group of players, I’ve always been honest – sometimes brutally honest. But I expect a better product, and on Tuesday night we got that. I want it to be a turning point, but I’ve been asked that before!”
Hill refused to be drawn on turning points but said it was down to the players to offer him some protection.
“I just don’t know on a daily basis with this group of players, I really don’t because they can be so special but we have had too many self-imposions over the course of the season,” he said.
“It mystifies me because we are better than the position we’re in in this league and I just hope the players accept the responsibility for the position that we’re in over the next 15 games, as I have done all season – they have got to protect me a little bit.”
The Walsall success was only Dale’s second win away from home this season, earned by goals from Jimmy McNulty, Ian Henderson and Alex Dobre.
Hill’s men come up against an irresistible force in the Millers, who have climbed into fourth place with a remarkable run of seven straight wins.
Rochdale prevailed on their last visit to the New York Stadium in December 2013, a second-round FA Cup win sealed by goals from Peter Vincenti and Matty Lund.
Key striker Calvin Andrew has been absent with injury since the fourth-round replay win over Millwall, Hill stating there’s no chance of him returning in Yorkshire.
“There’s absolutely no chance for Calvin at Rotherham,” said Hill.
“It really frustrates me. Going to the physio’s department is like going to a well with no water.
“You can tell with my frustration how much I want him back. He’s a big player for me, a focal point and he gets us started.
“Calvin is an important player and you want your best players out there. Am I as frustrated as Antonio Conte? Probably not.”