Keith Hill: Rochdale boss says overachieving has 'caught up' with the club

Keith Hill led Rochdale to the FA Cup fourth round last season, when they were defeated 4-0 by Huddersfield Town

Rochdale manager Keith Hill says overachieving in recent seasons has now begun to catch up with them as a group.

Hill's side were promoted to League One in 2013-14 and have reached the fourth round of the FA Cup this season for the fourth time in the past five campaigns.

Dale are 23rd in the table and are nine points off safety, but they have two games in hand on their rivals.

"The pressure of overachieving has probably weighed heavy on the players," Hill told BBC Radio Manchester.

"We overachieved to get promotion and for the last three seasons, with the work the players have gone through, I think it's catching up with them."

Rochdale have scored nine goals in three rounds of the FA Cup this season and face Millwall in the fourth round on Saturday - but are without a win in their past seven League One games.

Asked whether they can carry their FA Cup form into the league, Hill said: "We haven't successfully done that or circumnavigated it. Our cup success hasn't transpired in the league.

"With the squad of players we've got, it's affecting performances and the players we've brought in haven't quite matched up to the players we've lost.

"I think it's just that now we are plateauing out as a group of players and a football club. When you consider the amount of money that's been spent in League One now, it's very difficult for us to keep up."