Fleetwood Town return to Highbury for the third match in four as they look to capitalise on the two deserved draws against strong opposition over the Easter weekend.
by Mike McGough.Fleetwood Town return to Highbury for the third match in four as they look to capitalise on the two deserved draws against strong opposition over the Easter weekend.
A win is vital now for the Cod Army if they are to force themselves into a play off place with only four games remaining- two at home and two away, but Rochdale have already taken a point off Town and have knocked them out of the Johnston's Paint Trophy back in September. But the local derby at Highbury could change things, bearing in mind both sides have not met since October.
Manager Graham Alexander looked ahead to the crucial clash and admitted that he thought Fleetwood deserved at least four points over the weekend. But the hard-fought draws against Gillingham and Southend United have set the league table up for a dramatic climax as the side lie just three points outside of the play off places with Rotherham United still to play, although the Exeter City in 7th, have one game in hand.
Alexander said: "They have obviously been struggling with their form of late, or with results anyway. They beat Exeter away from home and on all accounts, they fully deserved the result, so it was one of those where we have to make sure that we are on top of our game because Rochdale on their day are a good team; they play good football and looking at their last result it shows that they can get results.
"The Southend game was disappointing because we did more than enough to win the game, so in our own eyes it is a couple of points dropped. We felt we should have taken at least four points out of the weekend, but the lads are disappointed but they are happy with their level of performance this weekend and that is what we were looking for because the last two or three games have been more like what we expect of each other as professionals."
Alexander's men maybe feeling the pressure of the season close with the appearance of a couple of knocks, but the manager made clear that the players in question are working hard during the week to put that right for the weekend's game against 16th-placed Dale.
He continued: "There are a couple of bumps and bruises, but we are managing that during the week. They have had a bit of a rest period this week and they will be ready to go on Saturday. so we are looking for the same sort of commitment, endeavour and ability over the last three games."
We always go into every game looking to win and that is not going to change now. It is one of those that we have to take each game as it goes, we will do that and hopefully we will take that form into the end of the season but we just have to concentrate on the Rochdale game first."
