Paul Warne feels Rotherham’s draw at Luton sums up their campaign so far

Posted Wednesday, May 05, 2021 by PA

Rotherham boss Paul Warne felt his side’s goalless draw at Luton on Tuesday summed up their campaign.

The Millers went into the game knowing a win was required to make sure their destiny was in their own hands ahead of their season finale at Cardiff this weekend, but the stalemate means United’s Championship status is now in the hands of others.

Warne told the club’s official website: “That was possibly a pretty accurate summary of our season so far.

“There was loads of hard work, loads of organisation but we lacked a little bit of quality in the final third.”

He added in the post-match press conference: “We created enough chances tonight to win, as did Luton by the way, I’m not saying that, but we just haven’t taken one.

“There’s been some brilliant crosses that we should have got on the end of or could have scored, unfortunately we didn’t, so that sort of sums us up really, one effort away from greatness but unfortunately we’re not.

“There was a chance for Crooksy (Matt Crooks), I don’t know if you call them half-chances, but at this level, they are your chances.

“You don’t get many clean through one-on-ones, so if ever there was a night to win a game it was tonight and unfortunately we just fell short.”

It was Luton who went closest in the first half, Elijah Adebayo’s angled shot hitting the bar, while Rotherham keeper Jamal Blackman palmed Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s corner on to his post.

Michael Smith then glanced his header off-target and Matt Crooks was denied by the woodwork, while after the break, the Millers midfielder nodded wide from Ryan Giles’ fine cross.

Late on, Adebayo hammered over after a wonderful counter-attack, before Sonny Bradley’s stoppage-time header was ruled out for an apparent push.

Town boss Nathan Jones said: “I thought it was very competitive, it lacked a little bit of pure quality, but in terms of endeavour, in terms of an honesty for a game, it couldn’t have had any more.

“That’s what the Championship is for us, they’re fighting for their lives, we want to keep the integrity, we want to finish as high as we can and it’s two teams wanting to win the game.

“No-one sat back, no-one wanted to stifle the game, no-one tried to slow it down and that’s the honesty of the league.

“I’m proud of my team for that as we wanted to guarantee a top-12 finish which means we’re top half, which is a fantastic achievement.

“As when you look at Sky Sports and you see the Championship table, we are guaranteed to be on the first page and not the second, that’s the massive thing for us.”