Rochdale vs Barnsley preview - Nathaniel Mendez-Laing set for Rochdale debut

Posted Friday, August 28, 2015 by PA

Rochdale boss Keith Hill could have new signing Nathaniel Mendez-Laing at his disposal for the first time for Saturday's League one clash with Barnsley.

The 23-year-old former Peterborough signed a one-year deal on Thursday subject to Football Association and Football League clearance.

Hill could shuffle his pack once again as he attempts to put together a team for the club's seventh game in 21 days having gone into Tuesday night's 1-0 Capital One cup defeat at Sky Bet Championship Hull bemoaning the congested fixture list at the start of the campaign.

He made four changes to the side which had drawn 0-0 at Chesterfield in League One three days earlier with one of them enforced as defender Olly Lancashire, who had been carried from the pitch at the Proact Stadium on a stretcher, was replaced by Ashley Eastham.

Barnsley manager Lee Johnson will film training on Friday to assess who is fit.

The Reds went through a gruelling 120 minutes of Capital One Cup action on Wednesday as they were beaten 5-3 by Everton and although there are no new injuries, players could be struggling with fatigue.

Johnson will hope as many of his starting XI from that game as possible are fit for the Spotland trip, given the impressive nature of their performance against the Premier League side.

Ryan Williams remains unavailable with a groin tear.