WIL-POWER PAYS OFF FOR DALE
MANAGER Brian BarryMurphy played down his role in Rochdale’s comeback derby victory at bottom-of-the-table Bolton.
Barry-Murphy, who replaced Wanderers chief Keith Hill at Spotland last year, brought on veteran striker Aaron Wilbraham with his side trailing to Thibaud Verlinden’s 56th-minute goal.
Wilbraham, 40 tomorrow, didn’t score after his 60thminute introduction but his presence unsettled Bolton’s rookie defensive partnership of teenager Adam Senior and Yoan Zouma. Callum Camps, Oliver Rathbone and substitute Fabio Tavares all went on to net for the visitors.
“It was a difficult decision not to start with Aaron,” Barry-Murphy added. “His impact coming off the bench was amazing. I am not taking away credit from him because he will go mad. But I thought it was a team effort.
“The players have been amazing in their application and dedication. It’s been a tough three or four weeks for us so. To get a result like that against a team which is improving rapidly under Keith is testament to the players and their courage.
“Watching our personality in the way we played when we went behind was amazing to see. I am proud of all the players, young and old.”
Verlinden got on the end of Joseph Dodoo’s cross to head Wanderers in front and seemingly on course to end a run of 20 games without victory.
Daryl Murphy then shot wide when he could have doubled the advantage.
But, five minutes after Wilbraham’s introduction, Camps drilled in a right-foot shot from 16 yards to equalise after being found by Ian Henderson. He nearly got another seconds later but his 35-yard shot was saved.
Rathbone put Dale in front with a left-foot drive which cannoned in via an upright following an assist from Wilbraham.
Bolton’s Jason Lowe could have equalised but blasted his effort over the bar.
Then Tavares sealed a second successive league victory for Dale five minutes from time with a left-foot effort from inside the area.
Bolton assistant boss Dave Flitcroft said: “For 70 minutes it was a fair, equal match. We did everything and more to compete with Rochdale’s attacking influence. But we didn’t have the aggression in the last third and enough people in the box really believing they were going to score. “After we scored, we are thinking ‘take the game away from Rochdale’. Daryl Murphy had a chance and if that had gone in it would have given us some belief, but it didn’t. “It rocked us and Wilbraham coming on changed the outcome of the game.”