You can only beat what's in front of you!

[anne honemous]

Just got home.

It was far from pretty tonight and it is a good job that Rochdale couldn't finish to save their lives but the result is the only thing that matters.

Yes, we could have had a couple more but they could have had a bagful.

Special mention for Lawlor as I thought he was excellent when called upon.

Not sure which of their strikers, the 27 or the sub that came on, will be kicking themselves more as they both squandered a couple of great chances.

It's a good win but we'll face better teams in the weeks ahead who won't make up the bottom four.

I hope the directors don't get complacent and they allow DF to make improvements in January.

That said, great win, three great results over Xmas - and if we get anything other than a spanking at Peterborough then I'll be pleased.

[mushRTID]

Another good win, l felt fairly comfortable despite them missing a couple of sitters. The one at 1-0 just before we scored again is a game changer.

I think the way they played second half will help us in the cup game. If we’d have trounced them we may have taken them lightly, now we will know they are a decent side.

Butler, Mason, Whiteman all excellent. Rowe and Copps off it a bit for me.

Take a point at Peterborough then it’s a great festive period.

[the vicar]

Why can't we be happy when we win and it was pretty in the first half we played some good stuff so just accept it a win is a win

[Donnywolf]

.... I am with you

Rarity as well as they Subbed a Sub - cant happen that often

[anne honemous]

Another good win, l felt fairly comfortable despite them missing a couple of sitters. The one at 1-0 just before we scored again is a game changer.

I think the way they played second half will help us in the cup game. If we’d have trounced them we may have taken them lightly, now we will know they are a decent side.

Butler, Mason, Whiteman all excellent. Rowe and Copps off it a bit for me.

Take a point at Peterborough then it’s a great festive period.

I don't know how he missed that one at 1-0, but the one very late on where their sub went and skied it about 30 yards over the bar from a bit of an angle in the six-yard box was just as poor.

I guess they'll be after a striker or two in January.

[Filo]

Rochdale's game plan was to rough us up, Copps was targeted the whole first half, how they ended up with only one yellow card  beggars belief

[anne honemous]

Think the ref had a bit of a mare in the second half when one of our boys was chopped down 30 yards out, can't remember who but he waved play on, then less than a minute later up at the other end the same thing happens but with a Rochdale player and he gives a free kick for it.

No consistency at all.

[Donnywolf]

Rochdale's game plan was to rough us up, Copps was targeted the whole first half, how they ended up with only one yellow card  beggars belief

In a way they should not have had a Yellow cos the bloke that flattened Marquis was almost a Red

...and how did that one escape a Card when Matty B completely left him for dead and was just mowed down

(Note to self - go to Rate the Ref and give him 1 point)

[Move DRFC]

Good first half performance, continued where we left off from boxing day i thought. Second half wasnt pretty at all but we were reasonably solid. 6 and 7 out of tens all round. Thought Mason played well again and Lawlor too. Very good 3 points.

UTR

[Filo]

Good first half performance, continued where we left off from boxing day i thought. Second half wasnt pretty at all but we were reasonably solid. 6 and 7 out of tens all round. Thought Mason played well again and Lawlor too. Very good 3 points.

UTR

Agree dominated the first half. Second half we sat deeper and invited them on, thankfully this time we held out

[drfchound]

We dominated the first half and deserved our lead.
As I had suggested pre match, Rochdale would be much better than a poor Northampton side and so it proved.
They did squander some good chances but overall we were worth the win.
Special mentions for Lawlor, Mason and Marquis but every player contributed to the win.
Credit to the manager for bringing Blair on for Copps.
Copps will be fresher for Monday and Blair gave Dale something different to deal with.

[RedJ]

The cross for the most glaring miss of the night was outstanding, was laid on a plate for him. Dave Kitson made a career burying tap ins like that.

[drfchound]

The cross for the most glaring miss of the night was outstanding, was laid on a plate for him. Dave Kitson made a career burying tap ins like that.

I said at the time that it was the pass of the night.

[RoversAlias]

Rochdale's game plan was to rough us up, Copps was targeted the whole first half, how they ended up with only one yellow card  beggars belief

In a way they should not have had a Yellow cos the bloke that flattened Marquis was almost a Red

...and how did that one escape a Card when Matty B completely left him for dead and was just mowed down

(Note to self - go to Rate the Ref and give him 1 point)

That was Davies, and I felt sorry for him a bit as he actually didn't do anything. Blair and his feet just came together, it was an accidental trip so a foul by the letter of the law but I'm not surprised he felt aggrieved as he didn't mean to do it.

He then went off injured so a bad cameo from him tonight.

I think we played very well tonight, in the first half played some excellent football and got two good goals, then after the break held them off pretty well all things considered. How anyone can find it within them to be negative (I've unsurprisingly already encountered a few both here and on Twitter) after the week we've had is beyond me.

[BigH]

Look, we won ugly, points are in the bag and we're all happy.

But we also know that they're a bottom four side - and for a reason - so anything less than a win would have raised an eyebrow.

We're almost exactly where we were this time two years ago and we know how that season ended. So let's not get above ourselves. And as for talk of the play-offs; I don't think so.

Let's just build on the current momentum; we're doing ok.

[drfchound]

Look, we won ugly, points are in the bag and we're all happy.

But we also know that they're a bottom four side - and for a reason - so anything less than a win would have raised an eyebrow.

We're almost exactly where we were this time two years ago and we know how that season ended. So let's not get above ourselves. And as for talk of the play-offs; I don't think so.

Let's just build on the current momentum; we're doing ok.

You are going to have Dickos on your case after a post like that mate.

[BigH]

Look, we won ugly, points are in the bag and we're all happy.

But we also know that they're a bottom four side - and for a reason - so anything less than a win would have raised an eyebrow.

We're almost exactly where we were this time two years ago and we know how that season ended. So let's not get above ourselves. And as for talk of the play-offs; I don't think so.

Let's just build on the current momentum; we're doing ok.

You are going to have Dickos on your case after a post like that mate.

I'm already assuming the position...

[drfchound]

LoL

[dickos1]

Nothing wrong with winning ugly,
You can only beat what's in front of you
Who cares where we were 2 years ago

[since-1969]

They can beat what’s in front of them?  I think we’ll have something to say about that. 

[IDM]

The cross for the most glaring miss of the night was outstanding, was laid on a plate for him. Dave Kitson made a career burying tap ins like that.

I said at the time that it was the pass of the night.

I disagree, Baudry's pass to Marquis (?) in the build up to the first goal shades it for me..

[The Red Baron]

We dominated the first half and deserved our lead.
As I had suggested pre match, Rochdale would be much better than a poor Northampton side and so it proved.
They did squander some good chances but overall we were worth the win.
Special mentions for Lawlor, Mason and Marquis but every player contributed to the win.
Credit to the manager for bringing Blair on for Copps.
Copps will be fresher for Monday and Blair gave Dale something different to deal with.

I doubt Copps will start on Monday. He struggled last night for me, having been superb on Tuesday.

I suspect we will go with a back three on Monday.

[Filo]

We dominated the first half and deserved our lead.
As I had suggested pre match, Rochdale would be much better than a poor Northampton side and so it proved.
They did squander some good chances but overall we were worth the win.
Special mentions for Lawlor, Mason and Marquis but every player contributed to the win.
Credit to the manager for bringing Blair on for Copps.
Copps will be fresher for Monday and Blair gave Dale something different to deal with.

I doubt Copps will start on Monday. He struggled last night for me, having been superb on Tuesday.

I suspect we will go with a back three on Monday.

Will the loanees be able to play with it being 1st January?

[chrisd_123]

I think the most important thing about this past week is that not only have we picked up 3 wins, but they've all been wins against teams below us.

I think we're easily a comfortable mid table side this season with the potential to push on and these three wins have shown that.

The next run of games will be tough but the fact we're now putting the sides below us away will definitely calm any fears and hopefully allow the team to play with a bit more confidence at the sides up the top end.