Paul Raynor post Leicester City...
Assistant manager Paul Raynor was pleased with another solid pre-season workout after a narrow home defeat to Premier League Leicester City.
Tottenham loanee Grant Ward again underlined his burgeoning potential with another pre-season goal for the Millers, after Riyad Mahrez and David Nugent had put City 2-0 in front.
After the game Raynor admitted he was pleased with another good run-out ahead of big kick off on August 8th.
“I thought in the second half especially we knocked them out of their stride and turned the ball over, and hit them well on the break,” said Raynor.
“We probably created the better of the chances if I am honest. I thought there were some real plus points in the second half. We added our high energy pressing game to good effect, and we had a good solid shape about us, that is something we have been really working hard at, and we managed to marry those two things together.”
Ward was again on target notching his fifth goal of the pre-season schedule, and Raynor believes his tendency to find the net will be a valuable asset in the upcoming season.
“He’s got an eye for a goal, he’s got a great strike and he works incredibly hard in training,” Raynor continued.
“He tends to hit the target more often than not and the more he does that the more profitable it will be for us. We’re delighted with him but there were some good individual performances from others.”
Raynor was also pleased with the performance of striker Jordan Bowery who came on as an early substitute in place of Danny Ward who left the field as a precaution.
Raynor admits it could be a big season for the former Aston Villa man who is showing signs of adding the required consistency to his game.
“I thought Jordan Bowery who came on for Danny Ward after he got a little knock did well. But for the missed chance where he goes one-on-one with the ‘keeper I thought he was a real handful and at times showed glimpses of what we saw last season.
“We’re pleased with everybody really. I don’t think there was anybody out there who didn’t put a shift in for the team and people are still settling in and we’ve still got 10 days to go and coming up against opposition like that, with the quality they’ve got was a real learning process for us.”