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The Bulls entertain Rochdale in their penultimate home match in League Two on Saturday.
The two sides have been regular combatants in the basement, with the only breaks in service coming from the Bulls travels up and down. The Bulls edge the tie overall with 15 wins to 11, with 19 draws. Since the last match at Edgar Street, a 1-1 draw in August 2007, the two sides have met at Spotland twice. The February 2008 meeting saw the Bulls win 4-2, but this season's clash in September saw Rochdale win 4-1 in a match that saw two late goals conceded and Ryan Green's dismissal.
The Bulls have already shed a lot of the 'winter fat' in the past week ready for another slimline summer. Four loan players have departed leaving a cut down playing staff of 21 for the final three games. Of those remaining it comes as a comfort that Graham Turner will open contract talks with the 'common sense' picks to keep at the club. Striker Gavin McCallum expressed a desire in the week to join Marc Pugh on double figures in the scoring charts. His record of eight goals in 17 League starts and seven sub appearances does suggest good things to come if he remains.
Rochdale have somewhat limped over the line after appearing unbeatable at times. Their recent record of four points from eighteen isn't the form of the deserved promotion contenders that they have been - and that run includes losing to Darlington and being thumped by Torquay - and appears to have cost them a deserved championship. They've won promotion on the back of balancing the books and having a tight squad. The sale of Adam Le Fondre early on looked like a hammer blow and the further sale of Will Buckley, in January only seemed to spur them on further. Securing Chris O'Grady on a permanent deal earned them a 21 goal striker, with Chris Dagnall slotting home 20. If Keith Hill doesn't get Manager of the Year, there's something wrong.
Hereford United vs Rochdale, Edgar Street, Saturday 24th April, 3.00pm.
