Manager Robbie Stockdale on Dale’s 1-1 draw with Colchester United…
The U’s opened the scoring in spectacular style eight minutes into the second half, before Conor Grant equalised with 15 minutes left to play.
“I felt that for three quarters of the pitch in the first half, we were good, and then I didn’t enjoy us all at in the attacking final third,” said the Gaffer.
“Again we lacked quality and we lacked the right decision making, and that’s everyone - set-plays are included in that.
“Any moment we had that we could create a bit of momentum just fizzled out. The supporters made their feelings quite known with a song that they were singing and I can’t really blame them.
“From our defensive lines to half way inside Colchester’s half, we were very good but it’s about scoring and it’s about creating and being exciting, and we weren’t. It took us to go 1-0 down to get that into our game.
“But credit to the boys, that’s three unbeaten. I think in all three games we should have got more points, and that has been the story of our season. I put this on all of us - we’ve got to find a solution to score.”
When asked if he could put his finger on the first half performance in the final third, he commented: “Quality. We’re kicking the ball out of play, we’re not missing the first man with crosses and we’re not shooting.
“It takes a brave player to take those responsibilities on, and they can do it. I don’t know it it’s just a bit of stage fright at the moment.
“In the second half, I don’t know what the stats were, but I presume we had more attempts on goal and played the same way, so we need to make sure we do that on a regular basis.”
Immediately after Colchester took the lead they had a couple of opportunities to extend their lead further before Rochdale grew into the game and secured a point.
“For about 10 minutes [after their goal] I thought we had a mental wobble. We looked a little bit shot of confidence in that 10 minutes, but after that I was pleased.
“We got control of the game again. We made a couple of substitutions which I thought brought energy to the team, and that’s not a slight on the players that we’ve brought off - there’s been a lot of big games and a lot of travelling.
“We changed formation a little bit and we looked like the team that were going to win it. It took a top class strike for them to go into the lead and we work our way back into it. We had some nearly moments and we had some blocks - we could maybe have got our shot away a bit quicker - but I felt that we were the team that was going to win it after it got to 1-1.”
Watch the Boss’ post-match interview in full on the club’s YouTube channel.