Brian hails ‘dangerous Dale’ after win double
BRIAN BarryMurphy warned that his relegation-threatened Rochdale are a dangerous team to be facing after a big win against Accrington.
Dale ended a sixmonth wait for a home win four days before the clash against John Coleman’s men, and backto-back wins have breathed new life into their survival bid, lifting them off the foot of the table.
Ben Barclay cancelled out Jimmy Keohane’s opening goal, but second-half strikes from Jake Beesley and Conor Shaughnessy handed Dale the points.
“We feel we’re a dangerous team at a dangerous stage of the season,” said BarryMurphy.
“It takes so much courage to play the way we did, control the game and break from deep areas of the pitch. The movement had been rehearsed during the week, but to do it in the heat of the battle is another thing.
“When we conceded and continued to play the same way, I felt it very significant. It confirmed our lads are in good form, in a very good place and we are very excited for the rest of the season.”
Keohane’s curling effort in the tenth minute edged Dale ahead, but a towering header three minutes later from Barclay wiped out the advantage.
Conor Grant struck a post for Dale while Stanley had the ball in the net just after half-time, only for the referee to rule it out for a foul in the packed six-yard area.
The home side regained the lead in the 66th minute when Aaron Morley’s free-kick was glanced goalwards by Gabriel Osho. Toby Savin made the save, but Beesley pounced on the rebound.
A miscued clearance from Savin in stoppage time fell to Shaughnessy, the substitute stroking the ball into the empty net from 40 yards.
Coleman was concerned by Stanley’s inconsistent form. “We’re turning into a Jekyll and Hyde team,” he said. “We looked a shadow of the team we were on Tuesday, just as we looked a shadow of the team at Wimbledon last Saturday.
“We can’t keep going high and low, high and low. We have got to get some consistency and there is none at the minute. We’re not hurting teams enough, we didn’t work their goalkeeper enough. We have to show better than that because we are better than that.”