Rochdale manager Keith Hill praised his players' bravery as they crushed neighbours Accrington 4-1 to keep their play-off hopes alive.Dale went into the game having lost their previous five outings on home soil but after Shaun Whalley put Stanley ahead, Hill's men hit back in style.

Adam Le Fondre fired a hat-trick and Gary Jones also got on the scoresheet as Dale cantered to a win which lifted them to within five points of the play-off zone.

Hill said: "Credit to the players, we asked them to be brave when playing in front of our own supporters, something they haven't done for a while, but they did that throughout the second half.

"I thought we showed that we are really capable of in the second half and that's how we've got to perform in all the matches between now and the end of the season.

"We have 11 matches left and 33 points to play for. Our aim is to reach the play-offs and this win is a huge boost towards that."

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