Rochdale lost their seventh game in eight and this time at the hands of the worst team I've seen us play this season. Full report and ratings online now if you can stomach it.

Things are going from bad to worse aren't they.  We're now without a win in 8 games having lost 7 of them.  It's getting to the stage where I can't see where it's going to stop.

Another game, another awful defeat, this time away at Mansfield.  It's very rare that we ever get anything from Field Mill anyway but with new signings and playing one of the worst teams in the division according to the league, a win was something we could have expected realistically.  Instead, we put in a truly awful showing, second half especially and lost the game 1-0 without even so much as troubling "The Thames Whale" Kevin Pressman into making a save. 

There is a huge amount of pressure on Parkin now and the fans aren't going to stand for much more of this.  Tuesday night at Torquay could get very ugly if we lose whether it be by the small amount brave (or daft) enough to go or on the messageboard.  A defeat could make Parkin about as popular as Ruth Kelly in a room full of mothers!

This game saw perhaps the most baffling decision of the season and I'll admit that when I was told that Tony Gallimore had been dropped, I thought Parkin was turning into Dave Sutton and losing the plot.  Anyway, McArdle came in for Galli who was on the bench.  John Doolan slotted straight into a three man midfield which also saw Cooksey dropped for Cartwright and Warner dropped for the new signing.  Our best player against Stockport was also dropped to the bench which I found bizarre as well.  Clive Moyo Modise was on the bench and Blair Sturrock was preferred.  Paul Tait was dropped from the squad completely at last and Chris Dagnall went up front.  Thankfully, Jon Boardman was also dropped to make way for Griffiths' return to the line-up.  Warren Goodhind was injured and Gary Brown came in for him.

The Dale lined up with:  Gilks, Brown, McArdle, Griffiths, Goodall, Cartwright, Doolan, Jones, Sturrock, Lambert and Dagnall.  On the bench were:  Boardman, Gallimore, Warner, Cooksey and Moyo Modise.

It's fair to say Dale looked alright in the first half.  Some decent football was on show but we didn't make Pressman work.  We didn't really deserve to go in 1-0 down at half time in my opinion.

Gary Jones had an effort fairly early on but his overhead kick sailed over the bar.  Not long after and Blair Sturrock should have done better with an effort which drifted past the post.  A fabulous pass from John Doolan set Goodall off down the wing and Sturrock met his excellent cross but couldn't make the most of it.

It wasn't all Dale, far from it as Mansfield must have had about seven corners, most of which tested Gilks and put him under pressure.  One particular one he didn't deal with and it somehow managed to go out for a corner rather than go in.  He did well with the rest he had to deal with.

Unfortunately, Mansfield took the lead from one of these corners and it was an awful delivery as well.  The ball came in, Lambert tried to clear it but miss-kicked it badly and it fell to Danny Reet who volleyed it past Gilks to make it 1-0.

The half time whistle came and it was more disappointment for Dale fans who must have been wondering if this run of defeats would ever end. That said, there was enough in the first half to suggest we could get back into it.

Unfortunately though, there wasn't enough in the second half to suggest we are anything other than crap!

Dale were horrific to be honest and only had two efforts that even looked like they might have gone in but the quality of the performance was one that left me with my head in my hands all too often.

Mansfield absolutely bossed proceedings in the second half and went through several times as our defence couldn't contain Barker and Reet up front and had it not been for some awful finishing, mainly from Reet, it could have been about 4-0 at the end.

What makes this even more worrying is that I've not seen us play a worse team this season than Mansfield.

Blair Sturrock somehow managed to have one effort hit the side netting when again, he should have test Pressman.  He also had a penalty claim turned down and to me, it looked like a clear penalty but the referee waved it away.

Reet went off for Alan Russell for the home side and he too was guilty of missing some excellent chances.

Rickie Lambert had a great chance to equalise but his header was wide of the post but it should have been a goal.  This summed up Lambert's performance, awful.

Clive Moyo Modise came on for Blair Sturrock who looked very angry at being taken off.  Must say, I would as well having done so much more than Lambert. Tony Gallimore made it onto the pitch for Chris Dagnall late on but neither substitution had any sort of impact.

The final whistle went and as the Mansfield fans chanted "Haslam Out!", I expected the away fans to start a similar chant with slightly different words!

For some strange reason, I'm still going to Torquay on Tuesday night and if things aren't significantly better then it could just be the final straw in many eyes.

Player Ratings:

Matt Gilks 6 Nowt he could do with the goal but it was obvious the defence have no confidence in him at all.

Gary Brown 6 Looked alright actually, better than Goodhind of late

Alan Goodall 6 Got forward as he usually does and create openings

Gareth Griffiths 7 We looked a lot better with him in the side, welcome back Griff!

Rory McArdle 5 Poor I thought.  Made a couple of important headers but always struggled one on one

JOHN DOOLAN 7 Looked a decent player.  Good range of passing and added some creativity.  My Man of the Match

Gary Jones 5 Had one effort in the first half but pretty anonymous after that

Lee Cartwright 6 Got stuck in and looked alright but still wouldn't have him in a three man midfield

Blair Sturrock 6 Our best striker yesterday but that's hardly a glowing reference.

Rickie Lambert 4 Very poor.  Looked half arsed although he's not suited to the role he's been given as a target man.

Chris Dagnall 6 Looked lively and worked hard but not a great game

Subs:  

Clive Moyo Modise 6 Tried to get Dale back into the game but couldn't

Tony Gallimore 6 Not on long enough to have any impact

Photo: Action Images

Rochdale Polls