Slow start disappoints Evans
Millers boss Steve Evans believes his side’s slow start cost them a share of the spoils at Ewood Park, where they were defeated 2-1 by Blackburn Rovers on Tuesday night.
Craig Conway’s wonderstrike just after the half-hour mark gave the Lancastrians the advantage before Matt Derbyshire levelled against his former club after the break.
A marked improvement in performance from the visitors saw them threaten the Blackburn goal on a number of occasions after the restart, but Jordan Rhodes’ late strike earned Rovers maximum points:
“I was really disappointed with the first half,” scowled Evans. “It looked like we hadn’t turned up at Ewood Park and it looked like a different 11 from the previous three or four games.
“We’ve then come out in the second half and we said we’d change it after five or 10 minutes and we have and I think then we’re the better team for the last half hour but then they get the winning goal so it’s a bit hard to take.
“We’re really pleased with the last half hour but disappointed with the first hour.”
Evans named an unchanged line-up for the fourth successive game for the trip to Lancashire, but didn’t believe that affected the result:
“One or two didn’t have the energy levels that they needed to but we made the subs and we were back in the game.”
The Millers were also denied a first half penalty when Conor Newton’s cross appeared struck Alex Baptiste in the penalty area, with Evans convinced his side should have been awarded a spot kick.
“At the time I thought it was a penalty and so did all the bench and all the players and I’ve just looked at it again and his arm’s in an unnatural position.”
Rotherham-born defender Frazer Richardson sustained a heavy blow in the second half but had to battle on after the Millers had used all their substitutes:
“I think Frazer Richardson might have dislocated his shoulder so we played the last 25 minutes with 10 men because he couldn’t move but I’m proud of the last half hour. I think we go away unfortunate because there’s a clear penalty incident in the game that we don’t get."