Steve Evans post Preston North End...
Rotherham United boss Steve Evans believes his side have a great opportunity to progress after a 1-1 draw in a pulsating clash with Preston North End.
In a tense play-off semi-final the Millers rose to the occasion with a stirring display and deservedly took the lead when Alex Revell surged into the area before sliding a clinical finish past North End ‘keeper Declan Rudd. The Millers were pegged back in the second half after a wonder goal from Preston striker Joe Garner which meant it was honours even going into the second leg.
After the game Evans was proud of his players and praised his side from front to back.
“I thought that we defended from the front with Revell and Thomas and I also think that we attacked from the back,” he said. “We caused a good team some real problems. We sat back and looked at their team from a distance, every managers looks at the others and breaks them down, but it really is quite scary the players that Preston have got.
“But we have such a desire to win football matches and if we take all of our chances then we win the game. It has taken the goal of the century to break us and if there is a better goal in the play-offs this year then I’ll wake up a chicken!
“We go to New York level on Thursday and if there is a repeat of that then it is going to be another fantastic game, and we have the home advantage and the opportunity for our support to make the type of noise the Preston fans made today. Our supporters also turned up in big numbers and they will go home happy with a result that is acceptable, it is not a good result because normally associate a good result with winning, but it is an acceptable result.”
When quizzed if it was advantage Millers for the second leg Evans admitted that he felt the tie was equally balanced.
“I don’t think it is advantage to anyone,” Evans responded.
“To come to Deepdale and play like that then it gives us a chance at New York but at the same time we know that Preston came earlier in the season played really well for 45 minutes, and at times dominated.”