Tueaday’s 1-0 win over Leyton Orient just about keeps Rochdale’s hopes of finishing in the top six and securing a play-off spot alive. Nothing less than two wins will do for Keith Hill’s men, and they have to hope that Chesterfield or Sheffield United lose both of their remaining two games. It could have been a much more positive picture had the win over Orient not have came on the back of three games without a win, including two defeats. That run of form is made to seem even more frustrating seeing as the Blades themselves have faltered of late but ‘Dale have been unable to capitalise. Their cause is not helped either with the games they still have to play; the last home match of the regular season see’s promotion chasing MK Dons come to down whilst they finish off with a visit to Barnsley in a North West derby.
The last six weeks have been a tremendous effort from the MK Dons as they have put together a run of seven wins in eight games to pile the pressure on Preston in the fight for the second automatic promotion spot. That run has included away wins at Oldham, Swindon and Fleetwood, all of which have been emphatic. The only dropped points came away to Port Vale where they could only manage a goalless draw, but it preserved what is now a nine match uneaten run which has taken them to within a point of second place. MK Dona also have the advantage of a vastly superior goal difference should they finish level on points with Preston but all they can do is win their final couple of matches and hope it will be enough.
When you look at the clubs above Rochdale in the table, it illustrates what a terrific job Hill has done in his second spell in charge. He returned to the club at the beginning of 2013 after a two year spell away and led them to promotion from League Two in his first full season in charge. Nobody expected them to do much other than survive, this season, but such has been the consistency of his players, they have been in and around the top six all season. Consecutive promotions may just be beyond them but no matter what happens they will look back on this season and take plenty of positives from it.
As well as playing excellent football as a team, MK Dons have benefited from having the services of Tottenham loanee Dele Ali for this campaign. The midfielder has added a real touch of class to proceedings and his contribution was recognised by winning the player of the season in League One. He already has 16 goals from midfield and looks to have a real future in the game. Before going back to Spurs in the summer, the teenager will be determined to help his temporary club complete a terrific campaign by securing Championship football next season.
MK Dons come into this match as the form team in a League One which is probably the last thing Rochdale would have wanted when needing to win this game. Keith Hill loves proving people wrong, though, and has welcomed the tag of underdog all season. The home team have a huge job on their hands here as they bid to keep the most prolific scoring team in League One out. MK Dons are actually the highest scoring team in all four divisions of English football and I expect them to add to their 93 league goals this weekend. Rochdale have conceded the most amount of goals of any side in the top eight and I can see them having their hands full on Saturday. Both clubs know that a draw is not really good for either of them so I expect it to be an open an entertaining affair. Seven of the last nine meetings have all had at least three goals in them and I think that trend will continue.
Over 2.5 goals 4/5 @ Betfred
