Table-topping Rotherham United 'doing it ugly' as Paul Warne slams unsavoury scenes

Rotherham are having to do things ugly at the minute, but it has taken them back to the top of the League One table.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

After grinding out a 1-0 win over Cheltenham last week, the Millers backed it up with a 2-0 success at Crewe on Saturday.

The halcyon days of autumn, where Rotherham were demolishing opponents, have been replaced by more attritional victories on heavy pitch.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

But it is getting the job done and with Wigan drawing and Sunderland getting hammered 6-0 at Bolton, it allowed Paul Warne’s men to move back to the summit of the table.

Rotherham United manager Paul Warne.Rotherham United manager Paul Warne.
Rotherham United manager Paul Warne.

Michael Smith opened the scoring with a header from Rarmani Edmonds-Green’s cross and then a Dave Richards own goal in the second half, moments after Scott Robertson was sent off for the hosts sealed the points.

Smith is claiming the second one, official data providers Opta awarded it as an own goal and it looks set to be decided by the dubious goals panel.

However, things are not just ugly on the pitch for the Millers, it is also unsavoury on the terraces as for the second away game in a row the club had to put out a statement apologising for their visiting support’s behaviour.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

This time the assistant referee got struck by an object thrown from the away end, later to be reported to be a piece of chewing gum.

The club put out a statement apologising, Warne also apologised to the match officials and also called for the supporter to get a lifetime ban.

Warne said: “Overall, I'm really pleased with the performance. We want to get 40 points from the last 20 games and we've started with a three so I'm well happy.

“I thought we over-complicated the game a little bit in the first half. We had midfielders running out wide and helping the wingers. I was thinking, 'Just leave the wingers alone.'

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“It was a difficult game for both teams. The wind, wow! And the pitch wasn't amazing, so it was a really ugly game.

“I asked Woody if we won the toss to take the wind in the first half. We did and I came in at half-time thinking: 'I don't think one's going to be enough.'

“But then our second-half performance was better. We limited them to very little and we could have come away with five or six goals on another day.”

ends