Dale back in business with big win

ROCHDALE rediscovered their mojo with a resounding 4-1 victory at struggling Colchester.

It was no coincidence the win came on the day manager Keith Hill was able to field his first-choice front line of Ian Henderson, Matt Done and Peter Vincenti, who proved hot for the U’s to handle.

Matt Lund set Dale on their way to a first win in five in the 25th minute when he pounced on Sam Walker’s parry after the goalkeeper saved Michael Rose’s free-kick.

Vincenti followed suit four minutes later when he seized on another Walker parry to slot home.

And Henderson fired home the third from the penalty spot four minutes short of the interval after Kaspars Gorkss brought down Stephen Dawson.

The home side pulled one back early in the second half through Gavin Massey, but Dale quickly extinguished hopes of a comeback as Jack O'Connell headed home Rose’s corner in the 56th minute.

The win lifted Dale into the Sky Bet League One play-off positions and Hill hopes it silences some of the question marks raised against his team in recent weeks.

“I’ve got a very good squad of players and I’m happy with the result and majority of the performance,” he said.

“I think at times there’s too much pressure on the team and as me as a manager.

“I mean, there’s an expectancy on us to come here and win! Of course we want to win here, but while we’re in League One at this moment we’re not a League One football club, Colchester are as they’ve been here for how many seasons? Eight or nine years? They are established.

“Too much is expected of us and while we had a tough time through November I’m happy with where we’re at as a club and where we are in the league and some of the questions I’ve had to field in the last week or so have been ridiculous.

“I think this result and this performance reflects what we’re capable of doing as a squad.”