Coleman targets derby win amid bigger picture

New Rochdale manager John Coleman will not allow Saturday's derby with Bury to distract him from the overall aim of League One survival.

Coleman enjoyed some memorable tussles with the Shakers during his time as Accrington manager and admits he would relish claiming victory in his first game as Dale boss to kickstart the club's quest for safety

"It's an exciting game to play in," he said. "I know playing against Rochdale was probably one of the bigger games for me because there was a bit of rivalry between us (Accrington), and the same with Bury.

"They always seem to have been a thorn in my side, Bury, so it would be nice to be able to start off with a win.

"But every game we play now is going to be vital. We've given the players a target that we think is realistic for us to avoid the drop.

"I'm not going to be scared talking about relegation. There's no point in hiding and banning the word. We're in a scrap and we're prepared to roll our sleeves up and have a go. We know there's games that we've got to win and Bury will just be one of them."