After impressive back-to-back wins Rotherham United will be looking to extend their current unbeaten run and turn up the pressure in League Two when they welcome struggling Torquay United to Don Valley.
The Millers have re-claimed fourth spot in the league after their recent good run of form and with just three points separating them from an automatic promotion place a victory against the Devonshire club would put them in a strong position with another home fixture just around the corner.
Manger Ronnie Moore will be encouraged by the fact that the injured trio of Paul Warne (ankle), Andy Liddell (achilles) and Jamie Annerson (head) remain the only absentees. That means the same team will be available to him as the one which won 2-1 at Lincoln City last time out and although there are different options open to him he is expected field the same eleven that started at Sincil Bank.
Having shaken up his side from the previous match Gulls boss Paul Buckle watched his team suffer another defeat, this time going down 2-1 to Port Vale, in their last appearance and he will have to decide whether to keep faith with that starting 11 or make changes in an attempt to put a stop to a dreadful run. Former Miller Guy Branston will be hoping to retain his place and feature against the club where he spent nearly five years.
The Millers currently occupy fourth spot in League Two and with two games in hand over their nearest rivals they know that success against a team who have managed just one win on the road all season could propel them into the top three and give them a boost in their automatic promotion bid. On home soil however they have won just twice in their last five games and it is a record they will look to improve upon in order to keep their ambitions alive.
Torquay will make the long trip up North with an unwanted record in tow. They are yet to record a victory in 2010 and a draw or defeat at Don Valley would leave them without a win in 10 games. In fact the last time the Gulls came out of a game with all three points was on Boxing Day when they beat Hereford United 1-0. After an encouraging start to the campaign the visitors have struggled a lot of late and now find themselves in 21st position in the League just two places and five points above the drop zone. Their away record so far speaks for itself, with six draws and eight defeats from 15 matches their only league success on the road came back in August when Burton Albion were on the wrong end of a 2-0 scoreline.
Of the two United's it is Rotherham who boast the best head to head record. The Millers have ran out winners in 12 of the 21 meetings between the two sides with their opponents getting the upper hand on six occasions, only three matches have ended in a tie. The first ever time they locked horns in the league was during the 1968/69 season when both teams won their home fixture 1-0. Rotherham have recorded two previous league doubles against their counterparts and after a 2-0 success at Plainmoor earlier this season they will be looking to make it a hat-trick this time around.
Words: Chris Ellison
