Match Preview: Dale vs Milton Keynes Monday, 21st Oct 2019 14:14 by AtThePeake Dale are looking to make it three consecutive League One wins on Tuesday night as they welcome Milton Keynes to the Crown Oil Arena. Date: Tuesday 22nd October 2019 THE DALE: Things are starting to look a bit rosier now aren't they? Back-to-back league wins for the first time this season have lifted the Dale to 14th place in the table, although in a congested bottom half we sit just four points clear of the relegation zone. Despite playing dreadfully for the first 60 minutes at the University of Bolton Stadium on Saturday, Dale managed to escape with a 1-3 victory, coming from behind to pick up three pivotal points against a Trotters outfit yet to earn a League One victory in this campaign. Having fallen behind, BBM's boys regrouped well and fought back through goals from Callum Camps, Ollie Rathbone and Fabio Tavares (yes, it WAS his goal) to earn a first ever away win over their fellow Lancastrians/Greater Mancunians/North Westians? Spanish Bob missed out on that win through injury and could be missing again with Lynch expected to keep his place between the sticks if so. Keohane could be dropped after being replaced at half-time by Matheson on Saturday whilst Dooley, McNulty, McLaughlin and Pyke all continue to be unavailable. With a tough run of fixtures coming up after this one (Dale's next four opponents all currently sit in the top seven positions in the table), this game is a must-win in front of the home fans. Dale's four wins thus far have all come against teams in the bottom six of the table - let's hope they can make it five here. THE OPPOSITION: Milton Keynes won promotion for the third time in their *cough* illustrious history *cough* last season under the management of Paul Tisdale thanks to a win over fellow hopefuls Mansfield Town on the final day of the League Two campaign. Tisdale arrived at Stadium: MK from Exeter City after a long spell in charge at St James' Park and was able to deliver the promotion that the club's hierarchy craved at the first time of asking but it wasn't the easiest ride through the campaign. It hasn't been an easy ride for the Buckinghamshire club on their return to the third tier either and with 13 games on the board, Tisdale's men sit just one place and one point clear of the relegation zone. Although Saturday's result, a home draw with a slightly out-of-form Coventry City outfit, doesn't seem the best outcome on paper, it's worth noting that it arrested a run of five games without a point for MK - with 12 of their current tally of 13 points coming in their opening seven fixtures. There are no ex-Daley's among the MK ranks thankfully, but both Dean Lewington and Ben Reeves have produced 'clutch' performances against us in the past, with Reeves scoring a late equaliser against us in the dying moments of our trip to Buckinghamshire back in 2017. Dale have a dreadful record against MK of late though having failed to win any of their last nine meetings with the Buckinghamshire outfit - losing six. FORM BOOK - LAST 5 GAMES: Rochdale: Bolton Wanderers (a) - WIN Milton Keynes: Coventry City (h) - DRAW HEAD TO HEAD: ROCHDALE - 3 25 Apr 2015 - Rochdale v Milton Keynes Dons - LOSS - 2-3 - League One Photo: Action Images Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.
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