Rochdale comes before Birmingham

Whilst most of the articles on the websites and posts on the forums are about the Carling Cup game at Birmingham next Tuesday, before then there is Hereford United's League Two game against Rochdale next Saturday.

The players are likely to have the Birmingham game on their minds and no doubt will want to put on an excellent individual performances on Saturday to ensure they are chosen for the trip to St Andrew's.

However, although Rochdale currently lie at the bottom of the League all clubs eventually win a game and judging by their manager, Keith Hill, they deserved something from their game against Chester last Saturday. They lost 2-1.

Hill maintains the officials were at fault (this seems to be a common perception from various managers last weekend) over a disallowed goal by forward Adam LeFondre.

"We got done with two sucker punches. Even though we didn't play as well as we are capable of when you look at the possession count it shows that sometimes football can be similar to a boxing match. You can have all the flamboyancy, all the jabs, all the combination punches without driving the final nail home and finish up being "done" in the last round by a knock out," said Hill.

"It takes a lot of getting used to losing football matches and I for one cannot get used to it. We have to remain confident. It is a long hard campaign but there are beginning to be a few doubters which I am very surprised about. I haven't changed, Dave Flitcroft hasn't changed and the players haven't changed. It is amazing this football world that we live in-people are now looking at us differently, asking what has changed, asking has it been a honeymoon period, asking if we are up to it. There are too many questions being asked so early in the season. We are concerned about the start that we have made in the league and we didn't expect to lose our first 2 games."

John Trewick, the Hereford United coach, has said that the Rochdale game is more important than the Birmingham Carling Cup game.

"We're not fooled by Rochdale being bottom of the League. We know they are a decent side. We know they will climb the League - it's just a matter of when," Trewick told the OS.

"We've got to make sure that the players don't look at the League and say yes we'll be okay here.

"We've got to take them seriously."

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