Rotherham United praying their luck changes as Championship status hangs in the balance

Rotherham United manager Paul Warne has been put through the mill over the past few weeks

Five successive defeats mean that the Millers will be sent back to League One if they lose against Blackburn on Saturday and Derby beat Swansea.

It is little surprise that boss Paul Warne believes he has ran over a cat given some of the luck that has gone against his side recently, with refereeing decisions, deflected goals and missed chances all going against the Millers.

Warne's assistant Richie Barker knows that can turn at any moment and hopes it does in the final three games of the season.

“Just if you look in the last month or so, we were 1-0 up (against Middlesbrough) and then there was the sending off of Crooksy (Matt Crooks), which was incorrect in my opinion,” Barker said.

“Viktor (Johansson) was then knocked unconscious with a goal (against Barnsley) which I believe was a foul and then we missed a number of opportunities.

“There was the last-minute miss from Wilesy (Ben Wiles) against Huddersfield and Smudge’s (Michael Smith’s) penalty versus Millwall. It’s pretty much the story of the season.

“You look back to Norwich at the start of the season when we were 1-0 up and there was then a sending off and an own goal and we missed a penalty and gave one away and then lose by one goal.

“On the positive side, it shows that one goal, width of the post or linesman’s decision could quite easily turn the opposite way for the next three games.”