Keith Hill says his Rochdale side can’t afford to keep making individual errors as they succumbed to a 3-1 defeat at the Den on Saturday.
Peter Vincenti was once again on target for Dale, cancelling out Nadjim Abdou’s early strike only for Shaun Williams and Steve Morison to fire the hosts to victory.
Hill felt that his team played into Millwall’s hands and gave confidence to a side who had lost their opening four home games.
“We turned what is a good side who lack confidence into a side who have now got confidence.
“We can’t be that fall guy and we can’t be that charity. I think we did it a little bit last season in League One – we went to teams who hadn’t been playing particularly well, good teams who had a loss of confidence and we just buoyed them a little bit.
“I thought we had got away from that so I’m quite disappointed today.”
The defeat sees Dale fall slip to seventh in the League One ladder as rivals Bury take their place in the play-off places.
Saturday’s defeat also saw Hill’s side concede the most goals in a single game this campaign and the Rochdale chief put that down to individual errors.
“Individual mistakes represent a loss.
“They didn’t score the first goal, we conceded. It’s as simple as that – it’s elementary.
“We’re a passing side, but we’re a no risk passing side and that’s a big risk.
“I have to look at the whole picture and elementary mistakes have cost us here today.
However Hill accepted there were some positives to take from his side’s display in South East London.
“I’m reasonably happy for a lot of the game where we controlled possession and we got possession.
“But the mistakes that we made will cost any team a game and I think that’s what has ultimately hurt us.”
Dale fans will be hoping their side can bounce back immediately as they entertain Shrewsbury Town at Spotland on Tuesday night.
Image courtesy of Official Rochdale AFC via YouTube, with thanks.
