Bravery pays off at Pools for Dale
JIMMY Mcnulty felt Dale fully deserved all three points in the 3-2 win at Hartlepool United on Saturday.
His side scored three first-half goals before the hosts replied with two of their own to set up a nervy finish.
The Head Coach says Dale were full value for the win on the first-half performance alone, along with the resilience shown to see the game out.
“I’m pleased for the players and the fans,” said Mcnulty.
“They sung their hearts out for us all day. They went through the whole challenge of the game with us and I’m really pleased for them.
“I’m pleased for the team, going into what is a most welcome week for a depleted squad.
“I’m pleased with how they dug in, stuck together, weathered the storm, and showed some brilliant fight and traits of togetherness in the second-half, which ultimately rewarded what was an outstanding 50 minutes for us.
“Regardless of any pressures in the secondhalf, I feel it was a deserved win.
“The way we played football and the bravery of our team [pleased Mcnulty the most].
“I think we’re an exciting team.
“That’s the make-up of our squad, it’s not really designed for sitting in.
“The squad is small at the minute, but even at full strength, it’s not a squad that’ll sit in and try and pinch things.
“We go to try and win games, score goals, play great football, and I thought the first-half was a pure advert of that.
“I thought the first-half alone was enough to win the game. The players played with belief in the way we play and believed we could hurt them. We were so destructive.
“It was, again, a real character test, that we gave a goal away so close to half-time and gave the other team so hope.
“The real challenge for us now, and hopefully we get the chance to grow and strengthen to become that team, is to change our mindset that when we go two or three nil up, that we’re going to win by five.
“Difficulty will come but if we keep playing our football and being brave when the opposition bring pressure, we’ll score even more goal.
“We’ve been ahead in many games and been pegged back.
“We were ahead again today and deservedly won the game but could have been pegged back again.
“The challenge collectively is believing that we’ll go on, and even if the other team does score, we’ll score more anyway. We believe the way we play can hurt everyone in the league.”
Dale return to National League action with a trip to Wealdstone on Saturday 11th November.