Manager John Coleman is taking the positives from the New Year’s Day clash against Rotherham United as Dale prepare to face AFC Wimbledon at Spotland on Saturday.
“We take positives from how we apply ourselves and how desperate we are to win,” said Coleman. “We were unfortunate not to win but in the end they were a bit too strong. When you’re competing against what they’ve got in terms of resources compared to what we’ve got, there is no comparison, but we more than matched them for long periods.
“I thought we defended well but the disappointing part of the day was that we ended up having to defend. I thought we should have been brave enough to pass the ball better, keep the ball better and not lump it up against the wind as I think this ultimately cost us, but we’ll move on. We’re not happy with Tuesday’s result but there were signs that the performance wasn’t that bad.
“I think the big plus for me is that there is a renewed sense of positivity about the place. I think the fans are starting to relate to the players now and the players are relating to the fans. I think once you’ve got that relationship it can only blossom and this can only help everybody."
He continued: "Wimbledon had a wonderful result against Torquay [on Tuesday] and we know that they’re a strong side when they are on their day. They turned in a magnificent performance against MK Dons in the FA Cup so we know that they are difficult to break down and they are good footballing team, but if we can get ourselves playing the way I know we can, then we can be a match for anybody.”
You can hear the full interview with the Gaffer on Dale Player now. Click HERE.