Rochdale are back on the road on Tuesday, as they make the trip to Kingston upon Thames to face AFC Wimbledon.
Games are continuing to come thick and fast for Keith Hill’s side, with the match at Kingsmeadow being Dale’s seventh of the month.
Rochdale go into the fixture sitting eighth in the Sky Bet League One table, just six points outside the top six. With just eight games left to play this season, Hill is hoping to pick up as many points as possible.
“We’ve just got to concentrate on trying to accumulate as many points as we can,” he told Dale PlayerHD.
“My target is to try and win 19 games in a League One season and to try and supersede last season’s 69 points or finish in a higher position than year.
“We need points if we’re going to achieve any of those ambitions. We go into every game trying to win it and it won’t be any different on Tuesday night.
“With respect to the play-offs, we’re just focusing in on the games and the mini-group of games that we’ve got left to play. We’ll have had seven games this month, including against AFC Wimbledon on Tuesday night, then we’ll roll into April and we’ll see where we are with respect to points.
“The games are coming thick and fast, which is good. It’s hard as well for the players but we’re looking forward to them.”
AFC Wimbledon, who were promoted from League Two at the end of last season, currently sit mid-table and Hill believes they’ve adjusted well to life in League One.
“It’s a very difficult league and it’s a different kettle of fish from League Two. When you get promoted, you have to consolidate and you have to reach the 50 points mark as quickly as you possibly can or you can get sucked into a relegation battle.
“A relegation battle shouldn’t be termed or deemed from the last 10 games only. You’re always fighting relegation from the get-go when you’ve just been promoted, unless you’re a massive club who are going to go through the leagues.
“I think they’ve adjusted superbly well and they deserve credit. They’ve got good management, they’ve recruited really well and they’re a good opponent for any League One side. That’s testament to the way that they’ve adjusted.”
Matty Lund was away on international duty last week with Northern Ireland, with the midfielder making his first competitive appearance for his national side.
Hill is hopeful that Lund will be available for the match at Kingsmeadow.
“We’ll catch up with Matty on Tuesday, so he should be in the matchday squad, but when you consider the goal scoring form of Callum Camps, then he’s done particularly well.
“Lundy is a big player for us and I think we’ve worked very hard to get to a place where he’s considered to be one of my most important players and it’ll be good to get him back, but whether he starts or not will be a different debate for me and the staff have.”
Watch the full interview on Dale PlayerHD.