Steve Evans talks to www.themillers.co.uk...
We caught up with Steve Evans at the training ground as the injured players reported for treatment and training, we continued with our regular Sunday feature.A late loss at Morecambe yesterday, what are your thoughts on the match the day after?
It was difficult to accept at the time when Morecambe got that injury time goal and having watched the match back on DVD it is perhaps even more difficult to take.
We dominated the match for long periods and only the fact we did not take advantage of getting ourselves in great areas in the last third stopped us from winning comfortably. Again we did not defend well enough and the two goals we gave away are poor, in that area of the team we must also be better.
It is not a time in the season for making excuses or feeling sorry for ourselves, it must be about one match at a time and we have a minimum of five of those remaining starting with Exeter on Tuesday.
Yesterday you had to name a team without Claude Davis, Liam Ridehalgh and Lee Frecklington, what is the current injury situation?
Claude and Liam got ruled out from selection through injury as did young Daniel Kearns who was feeling soreness at the back of his ankle during training on Friday and again in the pre-match warm up. Lee Frecklington has been ill with a virus and has been missing since last Monday. I do not expect to have any of those available for Tuesday but we will see how they are again tomorrow.
Mark Bradley had to come off at Morecambe after he got a kick directly on the foot he has been out injured with so he remains doubtful too but he is a very fit lad otherwise so let us see were that goes.
Yesterday again demonstrated how difficult League Two is with six of the top seven losing, how do you see the league landscape at this moment in time?
Every team in League Two is capable of beating each other and that was again very evident with the results yesterday and on Friday night.
There is a lot of football to be played before the promotion or relegation places are fixed and what I do know is that despite our poor results recently, we are still very much a part of the fight for promotion.
It is important now more than ever we all stick together; everyone at Rotherham United needs to be as one. Yesterday the lads put in a fantastic amount of effort and I felt for them. I also felt for our supporters who had to stand and watch a celebration in front of them that was ultimately disrespectful, that it seems is what it is to score against The Millers.
As you said Exeter are next up on Tuesday, another tough game?
It does not take me to say that this is a huge match for both clubs. Exeter are a team packed with quality players and a manager I have the greatest respect. They will come to the New York Stadium, will be very organised and no one can discount the impressive away record they have in League Two.
I do not know yet what players will be available for selection but it goes without saying we are going to be restricted given our injury situation, but we will pick a team who most of all will fight for every ball and every inch we need on the pitch.
We need our supporters on Tuesday, it is matches like this where they can make the difference and to be fair to the Millers supporters they have more than played their part.
We have five matches left and I really still believe we can win promotion; there are a few twists and turns yet. We all need to stay focused and at the end of the season believe we have done everything we could have to achieve what we all want. The real season starts today, let us go forward and achieve the ultimate prize.