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Form is second to none

26/ 4/2008

KEITH HILL takes his promotion-chasing side to Gigg Lane today heralding Dale the form team in the country, let alone League Two.

The Spotland outfit come up against a Bury team looking for their sixth consecutive win on home soil in this afternoon’s derby.

However, when it comes to top form, Hill’s men boast a run of seven wins from their last eight games, a run which has put them in contention for automatic promotion.

"There is nobody in the country with better form than us right now," said Hill.

"I believe we are a good football team and we are facing a good team who are on the rise. Bury are a good side in the making and Alan Knill is doing a very good job.

"I’d suggest we are a better team than Bury right now based on how we have performed over the course of the season. One game will not change that.

"We have got to play with thought and endeavour, and we must not get caught up in the furore."

Asked whether it was important to take the winning momentum built up in recent weeks into the play-offs, Hill said: "We have won 36 of the 72 games played since we took charge, so the winning mentality has been developed over the course of 18 months. Why should that change now?

"Ours has been an improvement over 18 months, right across the footballing spectrum. If you look at our record, we have improved the club in all aspects. We have fulfilled one of our ambitions for the season in reaching the play-offs. That’s what we are – real winners. If that does change and the players’ mentality changes, then we will change the players."