KEITH Hill could never be accused of setting his sights low.

After watching Rochdale win their fourth game in succession, he set his players the daunting challenge of maintaining that run until the end of the season.

"We said a few weeks ago that we would have to win our last 21 games and we are well on our way to doing that because we've won our last four," said a delighted Hill.

And if Hill needed evidence of his side's promotion credentials, they were on show in abundance at Moss Rose, where Brentford lost 2-0 to Macclesfield only last month.

Rochdale needed a contentious first-half penalty and an inspired performance from keeper Frank Fielding after the break to secure the points, but it was further proof that they should be able to avoid the choppy waters of the play-offs after last year's Wembley heartbreak.

"It was a professional dig-in, in the second half," said Hill. "In the first half we footballed them to death. Nobody can argue with that. And in the second half we dug in.

"They can argue about the penalty all day, but it was given and we won 1-0. It was a great 1-0."

Challenge

Tom Kennedy fired home the winner from spot in first half stoppage time after Chris Dagnall fell under the challenge of Jon Brain - much to the fury of Macc boss Keith Alexander.

"Only the referee in the whole ground gave that decision," he said. "The linesman's facing it and never gave it. It's a shocking referee. We've had him before - shocking.

"These decisions cost you points. I'm not going to say we were the better team in the first half because we quite clearly weren't. But at 0-0 you give yourself a chance to talk to the players and in the second half we were the better side.

"On another day we might have got something, but they are in the top six or seven and it shows where we've got to be.

"We want to start winning. We've lost three on the trot which nobody likes, but we've got something to build on."

After coming so close to promotion last season, Hill can see only one outcome this time around.

"The lads can see the finishing line," he said. "They all know what they want to do. We are counting down now, not counting up."

MACC: Brain 6, Brisley 6, Morgan 7, Hessey 6 (Evans, 60) 5, Reid 6, Bell 7, Nat Brown 6, Thomas 7, Jennings 6, Sinclair 6, Elliott 5, (Yeo, 74) 5.

ROCHDALE: Fielding 8, Wiseman 7, Stanton 7, McArdle 7, Kennedy 7, Thompson 7, Gary Jones 7, Toner 6, Adams 7 (McEvilly, 81) 5, Dagnall 8 (Le Fondre , 67) 5, Buckley 5, (Rundle, 69) 5

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