Flitcroft wants patience

9:31am Friday 16th May 2008

DARLINGTON manager Dave Penney may be expecting Rochdale to fly out of the blocks tomorrow, but Dale number two Dave Flitcroft has asked the home support to remain patient.

Quakers go into the second leg of the play-offs 2-1 up and well aware that Rochdale finished the regular season by scoring plenty of goals.

They bagged an average of almost three per game during their last eight home matches, but Flitcroft is concerned the large Dale support will become impatient.

"We need to try and get control of the game as early as we can, but goals can be scored in the 90th minute and we often score late," said Flitcroft whose team has found the net in the 90th minute on ten occasions this season.

"What we need is the fans to be fully behind us but for them to be patient.

"If we can get an early goal it will change the complexion of the whole tie, but whatever happens, there has to be an understanding from the fans that we have got 95 minutes to score a goal.

"We know the fans will want an early goal but if we don't get one we need them to stick by us.

It will be all guns blazing from everyone in team Rochdale."

Dale, meanwhile, have asked Darlington supporters to arrive at Spotland well in advance of the 12pm kick-off, and have warned that parking spaces will be limited.

A spokesman said: "There will be parking restrictions in and around the ground and supporters will find it difficult to park anywhere near the ground.

"Darlington supporters are accommodated in the Westrose Leisure Stand, which is on Willbutts Lane, this stand will also house a number of home supporters and Darlington fans should use the four turnstiles numbered 11, 12, 13 and 14.

"All supporters must sit in their designated seats."

Five Darlington Supporters Club coaches are travelling to Rochdale and there a small number of places are available.

Fans can reserve a seat at the Darlington Arena today between 4pm and 7pm. Cost is £14 per person and everyone must be a member of the Supporters Club to travel. Cost for membership is £5 adults and £1.50 for under-16s.

* Darlington are to play Middlesbrough at home in a pre-season friendly on Tuesday, August 5, four days before the start of the Football League season.

It will be Boro's fourth consecutive pre-season trip to the Darlington Arena.

* The Football League have announced crowds have broken the 16million barrier for the fourth consecutive season.

The Championship is now the fourth most watched league in Europe, with its total audience of 9.4million fans bettered only by the Premier League, Germany's Bundesliga and Spain's La Liga.

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