Depleted squad fall to Vale Park defeat...
Rotherham United manager Steve Evans saw his Millers slip to defeat in their final outing of 2013, with a 2-0 loss against Port Vale.
Goals in either half gave the home side the victory in a game which saw Claude Davis red carded. The Millers central defender wasn’t due to be on the pitch but after midfielder Lee Frecklington was ill during the warm-up, the Jamaican was recalled.
“It was hard to take really,” Evans said after the game. “We were struggling with losing Frecklington before the game, plus Arnason has played through illness and so as our captain. But we didn’t start the game well and for 15 or 20 minutes we looked like a team that wasn’t organised, we conceded a goal through some sloppy play by us, and then there’s some game-changing decisions. We missed a penalty, but regroup and then there’s the red card.”
With the score at 1-0, James Tavernier was brought down in the area gifting the Millers a golden opportunity to get back into the game, only for Academy graduate Sam Johnson to make a fine save down to his right.
“I’m not going to condemn Kieran, he’s been one of our better players this afternoon, and he’s missed a penalty, but the best players in the world miss penalties. We were still in the game though and Claude goes off but we’re still in the game at 10 v 11, and they get the second goal which kills the game. A player on the pitch shouted for offside for that goal and with the benefit of the DVD it looks like the lad is off by at least two yards.”