Rotherham United boss Paul Warne makes promotion prediction with MK Dons and Sheffield Wednesday lurking

Rotherham boss Paul Warne expects the League One promotion race to go down to the final day after his side missed a golden opportunity to take control.
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After Saturday’s win over Ipswich got the stumbling Millers back in control, they hit another hurdle, losing 2-0 at Burton in another below-par showing.

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Luckily, results elsewhere were kind as MK Dons lost at Oxford, meaning that somehow, even after four defeats from the last five games, the Millers’ destiny is in their own hands.

Rotherham United boss Paul Warne believes the League One promotion race could go down to the wire.Rotherham United boss Paul Warne believes the League One promotion race could go down to the wire.
Rotherham United boss Paul Warne believes the League One promotion race could go down to the wire.
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They remain in second, level on points with the Dons but with a better goal difference and a game in hand.

The problem is that this team currently looks a shadow of the one that was romping the division for most of the season and there is the real prospect that - on recent evidence - they will struggle to pick up points.

Oxford, conquerors of the Dons and still chasing the play-offs, are next on Saturday before the game in hand at Sunderland next Tuesday. Then the curtain closes at Gillingham, who are fighting for their lives at the bottom of the table.

That is when Warne expects the race to be decided as he gets to grips with the prospect of his team blowing a 10-point lead.

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Burton has recently held Plymouth and Wigan to goalless draws so it was never going to be easy at the Pirelli Stadium.

But when Cameron Borthwick-Jackson prodded home the Brewers’ first goal in six games in just the third minute it was going to be one of those nights.

The Millers were forced to make two first-half substitutions, one because of injury and then a tactical one because the formation was not working.

Another injury forced another half-time change and the second half had plenty of huffing and puffing but without the prospect of getting back into the game, with John Brayford sealing the game for Burton.

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Given the Millers and MK’s poor form, the door has now opened to other teams - including Sheffield Wednesday - to sneak into the top two.

Asked what it will take to get promoted, Warne said: “A couple of wins, it's still in our hands, another game down, on the positive.

“Everyone is desperate to get those last couple of wins and at this time of the season there are freak results. It is difficult.

“Two wins might do it. We might win on Saturday, feel really good about ourselves and then go into the last week.

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“But it does feel like it is going to go down to the last game. We have to keep believing.

“Our play wasn't abhorrent tonight, Burton made it difficult for us and we didn't match their intensity in both boxes.

“We conceded after three minutes from a long throw and that killed us.

“It gave them the opportunity to hang on to. We are still in it. If our results match MK's we give ourselves a good chance, however I am aware that teams below us could catch us.”