Manager Robbie Stockdale spoke to www.rochdaleafc.co.uk ahead of Saturday’s game against Barrow AFC.
Dale go into the game having a had a rare midweek without a fixture, and the gaffer says that has been welcome.
“That [no midweek fixture] doesn’t happen very often at this stage in the season. We obviously had the Central League Cup game here on Tuesday and some players got minutes in that and the rest of the players had a full weeks’ training, which on the back of the Sutton game, is probably a good thing so we could work on certain aspects of our game which we weren’t happy.
“It frees up a little bit of time to have some focus on the training ground but to also, not have a little breather as such, but they are all carrying bumps and bruises and it let them settle down as well.”
Rochdale were 1-0 winners over Northampton Town in Dale’s lasting outing at the Crown Oil Arena a fortnight ago, and Stockdale says his side can take confidence from that.
“I think we played well that day and thoroughly deserved to beat the team that are second in the division.
“We know we’ve not been at the same levels sometimes against those teams who are in and around us, so that’s the challenge because Barrow will be fighting for their lives.
“We need to make sure that we’re physically ready, which there should be no excuses for after the week we’ve had, but also mentally ready to really take the game on and be on the front foot and hopefully get another positive result here.”
Dale are unbeaten in the league at home since October, which also pleases Stockdale and he says he’s looking to continue that into the rest of the campaign.
“When we first came into the building in the summer we wanted to make this place a very difficult place for opposition to come.
“Within that run there’s probably games where we could have won and there’s games where we could have lost, but to get that stat is obviously a positive.
“Now, it goes without saying that we’d obviously prefer more wins than draws, but it does mean that this place is a difficult place to come, and we need to carry that on for the remainder of the season.”
Rochdale were 2-1 winners over the Bluebirds when the two sides met in Cumbria in October, after the the staff at Barrow worked hard to clear a waterlogged pitch to get the game on.
The gaffer is expecting an open game on Saturday.
“They’re a footballing team. It was a good game when we went up to Barrow, even with the late kick-off and Henry the Hoover coming out and doing his bit.
“They’re a good footballing team with some good technicians so it should be quite open I imagine, as both teams like to get the ball down and play.
“We’ve worked on what we expect Barrow to be, but I reiterate, it’s always about us and if we reach the levels of our previous home game and some of the matches we’ve had, then it gives us a very good chance to win.”
Watch the Boss’ pre-match interview on the club’s YouTube channel.