Gaffer happy with first win...
Rotherham United Manager Steve Evans was pleased with the reaction his side showed today as they battled to their first victory back in the Championship.
After a backs-to-the-walls performance in the first 45, the Millers dug deep in the second period, and substitute Ryan Hall’s rather fortuitous goal sealed all three points for the home side.
“We left Derby County last week after going down there looking for our first goal, our first point and maybe our first win and we were disappointed, so today was pleasing. We changed things around a little bit at half-time and we told them they needed to show a bit more desire to win a football match and they displayed that in the second-half and the goal came from Ryan Hall trying to show that desire so we’ve got a great win.
“I think the boy goes to clear it blind which they’ll review and we’re fortunate that the ball rolls in the net but we were unfortunate on some other instances in the game.”
Hall, a half-time substitute was making his league debut for the club when he blocked a clearance after a fine Carl Ikeme save to deflect the ball into the back of the net, the deciding goal in a hard-fought game.
“The boy goes to clear it and his follow through just catches Ryan and we weren’t in a position to leave him on the field. We’d normally give them three or four minutes to run something off like that but we knew they’d come straight at us and we were right.”
It wasn’t quite the free-flowing style that saw the sides share 16 goals last season, but both teams had their chances, with the crossbar rattled from debutant Paul Taylor’s shot and Adam Collin being called upon numerous times.
“They were super today all over the pitch today Wolves and they’ll be a credit back to the Championship and are likely to challenge again. But we had it last week where we had the majority of the ball and all the chances but went down to a super goal, and they dominated possession at times but we got the goal.”