Dale boss reflects on ‘wasteful’ October

ROCHDALE slipped back into the relegation zone as they closed the month with a miserable 2-0 home defeat to Leyton Orient.

On the back of a disappointing performance in the midweek draw with Chesterfield, Steve Eyre’s men really needed a win to lift flagging spirits around Spotland. Instead, defeat to Russell Slade’s men increased the pressure on the rookie boss.

Jimmy Smith headed the visitors in front after 12 minutes when he rose unchallenged to meet Dean Cox’s corner with a routine header from eight yards.

Ashley Grimes, Neal Trotman and Nathan Eccleston all threatened Orient’s goal before the break while after the interval Nicky Adams’ succession of fine crosses went to waste.

Andrew Tutte thumped home a shot from the edge of the box only to see his effort disallowed for a foul in the build up, and David Mooney put the game beyond Dale in the 65th minute when he converted Jamie Cureton’s pass.

“It wasn’t our worst performance of the season, but it was our least flattering scoreline,” said Eyre.

“We had just started to get a foothold in the game after what was a routine start.

“I was very disappointed to concede from a corner and even more disappointed that it all came about from our throw-in 10 seconds earlier on the other side of the pitch. That is hard to swallow.

“From there on we grew into the game, but the opposition didn’t have to try too hard. They packed the central area in their own half and we recognised that and went wide with Nicky Adams, who was the best player on the pitch for us.

“I feel we were a little bit unlucky. We all need to be better, we all need to improve.

“There has been some wasted points in October. You can take a bit of pain every now and again, but I look at this game as wasted points, I look at Bournemouth as wasted points and I look at Exeter as wasted points.

“We did a little bit of everything — we won within the month, drew a few and lost — but the overriding feeling is one of waste.”

Rochdale: Kean, Darby (Jordan, 67), Holness, Trotman, Balkestein, Adams, Jones, Kennedy, Tutte (Gray, 80), Eccleston (Akpa Akpro, 67), Grimes. Subs not used: Edwards, Barry-Murphy

Leyton Orient: Butcher, Smith, Cuthbert, Forbes, McSweeney, Spring (Laird, 67), Porter (Odujabo, 90), Dawson, Cox, Mooney, Lisbie (Cureton, 20). Subs not used: Laird, Cestor, Lovelock

Referee: J Adcocj. Att: 2,322