Jim McNulty praises Rochdale for fighting through fear in draw with Crawley

Posted Sunday, August 28, 2022 by PA

Jim McNulty said Rochdale had to fight through their fear to secure the club’s first point of the League Two season after Saturday’s 1-1 draw against Crawley.

Tyrese Sinclair’s second-half header cancelled out Jack Powell’s opener on the stroke of half-time and, while Dale remain bottom of the table, McNulty said he was proud of the group.

The experienced defender, who took temporary charge when Robbie Stockdale was sacked earlier this month, said: “I thought our lads were amazing in the second half.

“I’m so, so proud of them, so proud of the effort they gave to turn a stadium that was in the balance and waiting for a stimulus.

“I’m really happy with how the game panned out in the end. I hope I’m not being biased but I didn’t feel any real threat from Crawley during the game, I felt like it was all us.

“I was excited to get in at half-time and change some mindsets – but them scoring when they did made that slightly more difficult and I didn’t feel we deserved to be 1-0 down at that point. The place stunk of fear at that point.

“At half-time I said to the players that this was the first time I’d seen fear on their faces. I’d told them when I took the job temporarily that this was a fear-free environment, no fear, we play with freedom. An environment where we make good choices and allow ourselves to be free from fear.

“I told the players if they regained the ball and played the fans would lift and momentum would grow, we’d be in Crawley’s half all the time. We did that and we played with freedom.”

Powell’s stunning finish in first-half stoppage-time was the first glimpse of quality in what had been a poor game up to that point.

Rochdale were better after the break and forced Corey Addai into several saves before Sinclair levelled, heading Aidy White’s cross home on the hour mark.

The visitors finished with 10 men after Nick Tsaroulla committed a second bookable offence after 86 minutes.

Crawley boss Kevin Betsy said: “I thought it was a performance of real character and resilience.

“We were really up against it again and had to make two changes from Tuesday’s team and I thought the effort and energy the lads put into the game was reflected in certain moments of our play.

“In the first half I didn’t feel we played as well as we can but we scored a fantastic goal and were fairly solid at the back.

“We went in 1-0 up at the break and in the ascendency and we hoped to carry that into the second half but with a new manager coming in at Rochdale and our players lacking a bit of energy, I have to praise the lads for their resilience and effort.”