Manager Robbie Stockdale reflects on Dale’s 0-0 draw with Scunthorpe United at the Crown Oil Arena…
I’m disappointed to maybe not win it,” said the Gaffer.
“I thought the first half performance was dominant and I thought we were very good. We created a couple of very good opportunities with Jake [Beesley] and Danny [Cashman] and the ‘keeper made a really good save.
“We lost control a little bit in the second half and probably got a bit anxious in our work. What I mean by that is maybe forcing a couple of passes.
“With the young team we have, that can happen, so I’m asking them to stick to the things we were really good at and that should see us through to get the victory. But fair play to Scunthorpe, they came into the game a little bit and it got a bit scrappy towards the end and quite open.
“So on the balance of things, I thought the first half performance was very good and the second half performance was probably an even game.”
Having employed a four at the back last weekend on the opening day of the campaign, there was a change in formation for the game against the Iron, with the side lining up with five at the back (three with two wing backs).
Stockdale explains more about the formation and praised the players for keeping a clean sheet.
“I watched Scunthorpe in the week at Barrow and we’re obviously missing a few players which wasn’t planned for in the week and we tried to put the players in their best positions as much as we could so we shuffled it around, and I thought it worked very well. The big positive is the clean sheet. I was asking for that before the game so the boys achieved that, which is brilliant, so if we get a clean sheet in every game, we’ve always got a chance of winning.
“I don’t think Lynchy has had proper save to make - a couple of scrambles and players putting good blocks in, but I actually don’t remember him making a save.
“On the flip side, I don’t think we worked their goalkeeper enough. Certainly in the first half we had a couple of very good chances and second half we got into some promising positions but it was just that final ball. I talk about how sometimes it’s not the chance, it’s the ball that sets up the chance and we just missed that a little bit today."
Five players made their home debuts on Saturday and the Gaffer says the players are starting to settle in.
“It has been a little bit stop, start. A lot of the players, although they’re young, have been isolating at their parent clubs and we’ve had all sorts of issues, like everybody has, so without doubt we will get better.
“I hope that the fans saw 100% commitment and effort. We’ll make mistakes, without a shadow of a doubt because that’s the level of where we are and even the Premier League players make mistakes. I was pleased with lots of aspects today. Am I disappointed not to win, yes. But we take a clean sheet and a point, and roll on.”
Watch the Boss’ post-match interview in full on iFollow Dale.