Dale boss fears fatigue factor

Reporter: Matthew Chambers
Date published: 22 October 2015


KEITH Hill will wrap his players in metaphorical cotton wool ahead of their quest for bragging rights on Saturday.

Rochdale's manager said after the scoreless home draw with Coventry side in midweek that several of his players need a period of recuperation.

Praising “absolutely superb” goalkeeper Josh Lillis, who kept a clean sheet, Hill felt a point against the high-flying Sky Blues was a fair result.

“I am looking forward to it,” said Hill, when asked about the forthcoming clash with Athletic. “We have got one or two tired bodies, physically and mentally. I had to take off Ian Henderson as he hasn't trained for three weeks. And Calvin Andrew hasn't trained for two weeks and ran out of energy.

“But needs must and I had other problems with players injured and not able to continue.”

Since the Spotland club's arrival in League One in 2010, they have beaten Athletic twice in six meetings. Last season Athletic managed an emphatic double, 6-0 on aggregate