Stay focused, pleads Hill in derby build-up

IAN HENDERSON . . . six goals in 16 games so far this season

KEITH Hill has urged his side to stay switched-on as they bid to arrest their mini-slump.

A superb run of six straight victories in Sky Bet League One had taken Rochdale up to fourth in the table.

That is, until consecutive trips to Swindon and Coventry yielded 3-0 and 2-0 defeats respectively, with Hill taking a swipe at the "crazy" fixture scheduling that entailed a midweek trek to Wiltshire.

After the loss at the Ricoh Arena on Saturday, though, the Dale boss was more concerned with being clinical at both ends of the field.

"I was really upset with the performance against Swindon and I understood the result, but not here when you're playing well like that and you gift the opposition in both penalty areas," Hill said.

"We were negligent in front of goal. We had 19 attempts but only five on target and we've allowed them to score two very, very basic sloppy goals - especially the first goal, when we were playing so well.

"I can understand the second one from a different scenario because we were pressing and we knew that they have counter-attacking abilities.

"We have to become game effective for 90 to 95 minutes. Our concentration levels have to be better in front of the opposition goal and in front of our goal, because the slightest mini mistake has cost us."

One victory - 3-1 at home over Chesterfield - had arrived in the first 10 outings in all competitions, before struggling Dale suddenly struck form.

In among the six straight league victories is also a 2-1 home win over Notts County in the Checkatrade Trophy.

Athletic had by the middle of this week sold more than 1,000 tickets for the all-ticket game at Spotland, out of an allocation of 3,500 for away fans.