League One: Rochdale seek overturn of former Wigan woes
Published:
Lee Gormley | November 13, 2015
Rochdale v Wigan Athletic
- League One
- Saturday, November 14th
- Kick-off: 12:30 GMT
- Spotland, Rochdale
- Live on Sky Sports 1
Rochdale host Wigan in Greater Manchester meeting
Rochdale will look to overturn a poor run of form when they host Wigan Athletic at Spotland for League One’s early weekend kick-off, as they face a Latics side they have not toppled since 1997.
Gary Caldwell’s visitors arrive for their Greater Manchester meeting in fine form, having climbed to fifth position after a run of nine successive domestic games unbeaten, while Keith Hill’s hosts sit in 14th, but only six points separate the two sides.
Wigan have won the last three consecutive clashes with Rochdale, though they have not collided since before the turn of the millennium, and Hill’s Dale outfit are 9/5 with Coral to spring a home surprise on Saturday afternoon.
Dale are draw specialists
Although, the home side have endured a torrid spell of late, dropping down to the daunting bottom-half following six League One outings without a victory.
Rochdale have become draw specialists in recent weeks, coming into this Wigan encounter on the back of four stalemates, including three 0-0 results, and they are 9/4 for another share of the spoils this time out.
The Dale recently managed to dispatch Swindon Town in their FA Cup clash though, securing a 3-1 home ruling over their travelling opponents, with Nathaniel Mendez-Laing hitting a hat-trick, and the 23-year-old wideman is 15/2 to open proceedings in his latest appearance.
Lund absence gives Hill headache
An injury to midfielder Matty Lund has given Rochdale boss Hill further selection headaches, with the Northern Irishman having been withdrawn from his side’s Johnstone’s Paint Trophy defeat to Morecambe on Tuesday because of a thigh strain.
Lund will join attacking trio Callum Camps (ankle), Ian Henderson (foot) and Reuben Noble-Lazarus (shoulder) on the sidelines for the Latics liaison, while Jamie Allen is set for a return after coming back into full training following a dead leg.
Wigan’s new loan acquisition Alex Revell will come into Caldwell’s astute attacking ranks, and is 21/10 to strike anytime at Spotland, following his temporary switch from Cardiff City.
Will Grigg is away on international duty with Northern Ireland, but the visitors still have the likes of Yanic Wildschut, Michael Jacobs, Craig Davies and Jordy Hiwula to call upon. The latter netted twice in midweek and is 15/8 to dispatch anytime again on the road.
Contrasting paths
The two northern clubs haven’t met since 1999, with Wigan having won three times to nil that campaign, and they are 13/4 to do so again here, though a lot has changed since that previous meeting.
Between their previous encounter and now, Wigan have since climbed all the way to the top tier, winning the FA Cup in 2013 and, as a result of their heroics under Harry Redknapp, competed in the Europa League.
Though, while the Latics flourished, Rochdale remained in the same division, where they had been since 1974, until Hill guided them to a long-awaited promotion during the 2009/10 campaign.
Hill, now in his second stint as boss, will look to guide his men towards a first victory in six domestic outings on home soil, against a side who are undefeated since mid-September, as the new pair collide for the first time in 14 years.
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