Rochdale’s FA Cup giant-killing of Leeds United last weekend may have surprised large sections of the national media but given the kind of football Dale have been playing all season the result was hardly unexpected.
Prior to facing the Championship side Dale had already knocked out League One sides Port Vale in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy and Rotherham in the FA Cup.
The passing style Keith Hill has implemented is arguably more effective against higher level opponents who may be less abrasive than some of Dale’s battle-hardened opponents in League Two.
But when Dale are allowed to pass it on their day they can be a match for any team in the football league, as Leeds found out to their peril.
On most occasions when a lower league club knocks out higher level opposition the common denominators are usually: a quagmire of a pitch, an overly physical approach from the lower league club and a winning goalkeeper in inspired form.
However the 2-0 humbling of Leeds at Spotland defied all the usual clichés that apply to a cup upset.
The Spotland pitch was in good condition which suited Rochdale’s possession-based style of play as opposed to the long-ball tactics of Leeds who spent much of the game punting the ball towards the head of six foot six inch striker Matt Smith.
Dale passed their way around Leeds with two well-worked goals epitomising the progressive, elegant football they played.
While home goalkeeper Josh Lillis was relatively untroubled in comparison to his opposite number Paddy Kenny, with Leeds having only four attempts on target compared to Rochdale’s eight.
Not just the result but the resounding nature of the victory is testament to the philosophy Keith Hill has introduced at the club and having the faith in lower league players to play attractive football, when most managers in League Two believe passing football and success are mutually exclusive.
With regular left-back Michael Rose suspended not many managers would have been bold enough to play a winger in Matty Done at full-back but Hill’s daring move paid dividends as side recorded a headline-grabbing victory and summed up their buccaneering approach to football.
But Rochdale’s success in the cup and the league (they are fifth in League Two) so far this season is not simply a case of adventurism with some good fortune thrown in.
Hill has instilled belief in his players that they can execute their tactics with success and as good a job he has done, the players also should be lauded as, for a fourth tier side, there is genuine ability in the squad.
Scorer of the second goal on Saturday Ian Henderson is as accomplished and technical a footballer as you will find in the lower leagues and his superb volley, which Scotland manager Gordon Strachan dubbed ‘goal of the round’ on ITV, brought him the limelight his performance merited.
However Henderson has shone for Dale all season and anyone who thought his goal at the weekend was good should watch the delightful chip he scored away at Cheltenham.
Elsewhere 12-goal forward Scott Hogan has all the attributes to play at a higher level. His pace and trickery both out-wide and centrally has tormented League Two defences all season and Leeds’ defenders were the latest victims of his penetrative running on Saturday.
Despite having flair, Hogan also possesses the physical traits to stand up to the aggressive tactics that are sometimes employed by opponents to try and nullify him. His strength of body as well as mind is down to hours of hard work at his local gym in Irlam during pre-season and he told BBC Radio Manchester back in August that were ‘not many players better physically’ in League Two than him.
Considering the often overly physical nature of League Two this is some statement.
As if Hogan did not have an arsenal big enough, the 21-year-old is also an aerial threat as his powerful header that gave Dale the lead on Saturday showed.
Hogan like his manager has grown stronger as a result of setbacks in his career after initially being released by Rochdale in 2011 and dropping in to non-league football before eventually re-signing for the club last summer.
Hill like Hogan has returned to Dale with successful consequences. After overseeing the club’s first promotion from League Two in 41 years in 2010 and guiding them to 9th place in League One, Hill left Spotland in June 2011 to take up the reigns at Championship Barnsley.
However his time in South Yorkshire was not as successful as his tenure at Rochdale and he was sacked in December 2012 with The Tykes bottom of the Championship.
On January 22 last year Hill was invited to finish what he started at Dale and since re-joining the club, like his prized asset Hogan, Hill has not looked back.
After being handed a winnable looking home tie against either Macclesfield or Sheffield Wednesday in the fourth round of the FA Cup, the sky-rocketing stock of Hill, Hogan and Rochdale Football Club could rise even higher over the next month.
Image courtesy of OfficialRochdaleAFC via YouTube, with thanks.
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