Hill hails Thompson after his goal sees Rochdale avoid relegation - 7M sport

Hill hails Thompson after his goal sees Rochdale avoid relegation



Posted Sunday, May 06, 2018 by PA

Hill hails Thompson after his goal sees Rochdale avoid relegation

Joe Thompson was the toast of the town after his winning goal in the 1-0 victory against Charlton saved Rochdale from dropping into League Two.

With Rochdale’s neighbours Oldham drawing 2-2 at Northampton, Thompson’s goal helped Dale climb out of the relegation zone and condemn the Latics to relegation.

It was a fairytale finish for Thompson, who only returned to action in February after fighting off life-threatening cancer for the second time in four years.

“It’s been a dramatic season – this was our sixtieth game. It was very fitting that Joe should score the winning goal, but we planned for this and the players responded to being at an all time low last week when we lost at Oxford,” Dale boss Keith Hill said.

“We had to pick the players up and we’ve had a very focused week and that produced a focused performance and that has saved our League One status.

“There was a lot of bravery in the performance. We knew after 30 games and we were 12 points adrift at the bottom that we had a 16-game season to save ourselves and I’m really pleased with how the players have responded to that. We’ve done what, at times, seemed like an impossible task.

“We haven’t been as successful as we were in the previous three seasons but it’s still been a massive success this season in a very, very wealthy League One.”

Dale were the stronger side throughout the contest, with Ian Henderson hitting the post after six minutes and Ben Amos keeping out Ryan Delaney’s header in the first half.

Amos also denied Callum Camps after the break but was finally beaten when Thompson collected a loose ball in the area and sent a low drive beyond the Charlton stopper.

Addicks boss Lee Bowyer felt losing this game may do his side a favour in the play-offs, which start on Thursday against Shrewsbury.

“It might be a good thing that we lost that game today. We’d won three on the spin before this match and at times what players can do is start to think they are invincible and think they can turn it on and off. You have to be on it 100 per cent, every day.

“We’re disappointed to lose the game because we want to win every game we play but it wasn’t really about today for me it was more about seeing certain things and getting ready for the play-off game against Shrewsbury on Thursday. We had secured our place in the play-offs before today, barring something extraordinary happening.

“I’ve said to the lads they have done everything I asked them to. When I first came in I told them they were going to get us in the play-offs, so I’m not going to criticise them for this performance because they have given me everything they’ve got. I’m proud of them and they should be proud of themselves.”

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