Steve Evans ready for a party after ending away-day jinx

Posted Wednesday, October 02, 2024 by PA

Steve Evans cut an emotional figure after Rotherham finally recorded an away victory.

It was November 2022 that the Millers last picked up three points on the road, a stretch that looked set to be extended to 42 games at Cambridge until Sam Nombe’s winner two minutes into added time.

With eight games without a win, Cambridge have equalled their club record for the longest winless run from the start of an EFL season, and coach Garry Monk was sent off by referee Darren Drysdale after the final whistle.

“Once again, since the weekend I’ve had the most fantastic support, from inside this football club and some fantastic support at home,” said Evans following the game.

“I suffer more than anyone. I’ve never had a run like this in my career I don’t think. You know what I do? I fight. I get in the trenches and I need my motivators at times. I need my wife, I need my girls, I need my grandkids.

“I’ve gone in the dressing room as the Evanses are having a party on our family chat. It means so much.

“I don’t think it’s been our best performance since the start of the season, by a long stretch. We were by far the better team for long spells in the game, and then the game seems to be drifting to 0-0.

“Cameron Dawson produces an unbelievable save (from Dan Nlundulu). I’ve turned away, I think it’s in the net.

“We have a great ball into the box and I don’t know whether Sam gets a touch or not, we’re all looking at it back, but it didn’t matter who got a touch.”

Monk could not speak to the media due to his red card at the end so assistant Barry Corr took his place.

“They didn’t deserve that,” said Corr. “It was a real kick in the teeth at the end.

“It was a really gritty performance. We showed loads of fight, loads of character. It wasn’t a game full of chances but we had probably the better ones.

“They know that they put in a proper, really committed performance. They’re upset obviously that they didn’t come away with something but we have to have that type of fight and commitment to the game as a minimum every week. That was there tonight, for sure.

“We need to make this place really difficult for teams to come. It’s a stadium that can be intimidating for opponents to come to, the fans are close to the pitch.

“We need the supporters behind us at the moment, we need to make sure we put in performances that keep the supporters behind us and then hopefully they can turn things around.”