Rochdale defender Peter Cavanagh thinks his side can upset the odds and knock League One Rotherham United out of the FA Cup on Saturday.
Both teams are enjoying good seasons and are among the play-off places in their respective divisions, but with Dale a league below, the Millers undoubtedly start as favourites.
But Cavanagh says Dale will approach the second round tie at Rotherham’s New York Stadium with no fear and believes his team can make life difficult for the home side.
“As long as we can stand up to their physical pressure and be brave enough on the ball, I think we’ve certainly got players who can hurt them,” Cavanagh told MM.
“They’re quite physical (and) we like to get the ball down and pass it, so it should make for an entertaining game.
“As the home team they should come on to us and with them being a League One team, they should be more ambitious (than League Two teams) and it’s up to us take advantage of the space that they leave.”
Dale made history at Rotherham last season by becoming the first away team to win at the 12,000 capacity New York Stadium with a late Kevin McIntyre goal sealing a 3-2 win.
If Keith Hill’s men can repeat the trick on Saturday then they may be handed a lucrative tie with a Premier League club in the third round.
There are no prizes for guessing which two clubs Cavanagh, a scouser who began his career at Liverpool, would most like to face should Dale make it through.
“Liverpool or Everton away from home would be the perfect draw for me,” Cavanagh added.
“But we’d take anyone, just to be in the hat on Sunday would be nice.”
Image courtesy of Official Rochdale AFC via YouTube, with thanks.
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