Rotherham can’t afford to lose to relegation rivals Coventry City, says boss Paul Warne

Rotherham boss Paul Warne believes his side have good chance of Championship survival as their 'week of death' continues.
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The Millers gave themselves hope of pulling off the great escape with an impressive 3-1 in over QPR on Tuesday night.

Playing the first of four games in eight days, they fell behind to Lyndon Dykes' opener but roared back to win thanks to Freddie Ladapo's double and Michael Smith's late strike.

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There is no time to celebrate that win, though, as Warne's men return to action on Thursday night in what is their most important game of the season.

Michael Smith of Rotherham is congratulated by team mates after scoring during the Sky Bet Championship match between Rotherham United and QPR.Michael Smith of Rotherham is congratulated by team mates after scoring during the Sky Bet Championship match between Rotherham United and QPR.
Michael Smith of Rotherham is congratulated by team mates after scoring during the Sky Bet Championship match between Rotherham United and QPR.

They welcome Coventry to the AESSEAL New York Stadium knowing that a win would take them above the Sky Blues and out of the bottom three.

Defeat, however, would leave them six points from safety and surely staring relegation in the face.

“If we had lost and Sheffield Wednesday and Huddersfield had won and we dropped down a place, I wouldn't say the lads would turn up depressed, they wouldn't, but if you win you turn up happier,” Warne said of the QPR win.

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“The dressing room was buzzing afterwards, it is a really happy place to be, that is why we are involved in sport, it is a lot of stress involved to try and win football games, but to win that game, with three more home games that are potentially winnable, they all have their own questions, but it is a good start.

“It gives us a good chance of survival. I think impetus and psychology are a massive thing and on Saturday (at Huddersfield) we don't get the goal and today we get three goals and it gives us a right boost.”

Ladapo came off the bench to rescue his side with two goals in two minutes but ended the night with a groin niggle and is a doubt for the Sky Blues clash.

Warne, who said he picked his side against Rangers with Thursday's must-win game in mind.

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“It is a balancing act to get the best team on the pitch, the best players you can have, tonight was one of the hardest teams I have had to pick,” he said.

“Thursday is the elephant in the room, you know how important it is and you want a good team for that.

“Hopefully they will be a bit worried. It's a game we have got to try and win, it's possibly one we can't afford to lose.

“We will try and win, I hope it's a good game but one that we win. They will all be massive games, but I just want to enjoy this win for another 30 minutes and then I will start worrying about it.”