Manager Keith Hill has praised his players following Saturday’s deserved FA Cup with Budweiser third round win over Leeds United at Spotland.
It was a game in which Dale out played the Championship outfit for the majority of the match, earning plaudits from the media, as well as from home supporters and visiting fans alike.
The 2-0 scoreline could have been more but for Leeds United goalkeeper Paddy Kenny who pulled off several crucial saves.
Speaking to Dale Player after the match Hill commented: “It’s a tremendous win. I think there was a doom and gloom when we played Torquay away [in the first round of the competition] and there was an expectancy for us to maybe go out of the competition like we did against Southend when I previously at the club - a long trip no with reward, costing the club a fortune, but today we got our reward. I think we've progressively got better and better and it was superb that we actually got the opportunity to pit our wits against Leeds at Spotland on what is a very good pitch.
“It suited us and it suits the way that we want to play. We had a game plan and I had trivial banter before the game with the Chief Exec, the Chairman and one or two board members on team selection and I think everyone was surprised with the team today, but the game plan worked.
"Every aspect of what we were trying to execute worked and I don’t think luck was involved whatsoever. I can’t fault anybody, they were absolutely tremendous and I can’t remember Josh Lillis making too many saves. The players trusted me, they trusted each other and they deserve the opportunity to go through. I don’t think anybody can argue that we didn't deserved to win that game on performance today.
“I’m really pleased for the players because I do believe more than one or two of them are more than capable of playing above league two standard and I feel as though the team can, but we have to be able to get promoted from this league."
The full interview is available on Dale Player.