With the last-gasp victory over Accrington Stanley still fresh in the memory, it is no surprise that the large throngs of Millers fans will be eagerly anticipating another trip over the Pennines in quick succession, as Paul Warne’s side travel to the Crown Oil Arena to face Rochdale on Saturday afternoon.
However, American full-back Matt Olosunde has warned his Rotherham side that they are likely to face a tough test of their promotion credentials against the Lancastrians, who earned an eye-catching solitary goal victory at the AESSEAL New York Stadium in the reverse fixture.
“I feel that they will definitely come at us strong.” Olosunde insisted.
“They will be facing one of the teams at the top end of the table, so it’s bit of a free-hit for them. They can come at us with everything they have got really. They will try to frustrate us but I feel if we can play our game and stick to what we are good at then we should be alright.”
Aaron Morley’s well-taken strike was enough to separate the sides in South Yorkshire earlier in the season and Olosunde is expecting another fiercely contested affair tomorrow.
“I feel we have got to go there and do what we do best.” Olosunde added.
“The pitch may not be in perfect condition but that is the case with a lot of pitches at this time of year and we’re professionals, so we have to deal with it. It is what it is.”
Rochdale boast a superb blend of youth and experience in their ranks – under the tutelage of former player Brian Barry-Murphy. Wily operator Aaron Wilbraham and the evergreen Ian Henderson are likely to feature, prominently, alongside highly-rated prospects, such as Callum Camps and Luke Matheson – and Olosunde, while wary of the threat they pose, believes that his side have the necessary firepower to record a much-needed victory in their fight for Sky Bet League One promotion.
“Those players will definitely bring a lot to the team and bring the best from those around them and try to push them forward but I don’t feel it should be too much of an issue for us. We should still be able to take it to them.” Olosunde added.