Dale focused on follow-up task
ROCHDALE players are determined to follow up last week’s away win at Newport with an equally impressive display on home turf against Barrow today.
Dale’s 1-0 win at Rodney Parade last time out lifted the club off the foot of League Two.
And matchwinner James Ball says the squad is desperate to perform in front of their own fans following the disappointment of defeat to Doncaster earlier this month.
The 2-1 loss against Rovers came after a 1-0 win away at Colchester and Ball is keen to ensure the positive result at Newport is no false dawn.
“We felt we could take on (the momentum) in the Doncaster game, it just seemed to be one of those games where we didn’t really get going,” said Ball.
“Everyone was aware of that and we knew we had to put it right last Saturday. I feel we’re always going to be in a game, we’re always going to give ourselves a chance, and getting the first goal (at Newport) was massive. It gave us something to hang on to and we did that in the second half.
“I don’t think many of us are looking at the table. We know we shouldn’t be where we are, no-one wants to be where we are – but it’s too early to start looking at the table and worrying, there’s so much football to be played. If it comes to April and we’re still down there then I think people will start to look, but it’s too early now.
“We have two home games now and hopefully six points.
“There have been games this year where we’ve played better than we did on Saturday but we’ve lost. I can really see a change in mentality and it’s the best way to win sometimes.
“We are under pressure but we have full belief that things are going to get better for us so when that final whistle went, a 1-0 win a million miles from home felt fantastic and it makes the bus journey home that bit better.”
Defender Sam Graham echoed those sentiments.
“It’s important that we
‘Hopefully we can back up the win at Newport when we play Barrow’
keep the momentum going. We can’t play well and then drop off next week when we’re at home,” he said following the win at Newport.
“We need to be consistent and we need to do it every week, especially when we now go into Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday.
“Everyone was disappointed after the Doncaster game, given that we had such a good result the week before at Colchester, so we don’t want a repeat of that. Hopefully we can back up the win at Newport when we play Barrow on Saturday, especially with the fans behind us.”