Paul Warne post Birmingham City...
The Millers picked up a point at home to Birmingham City in a match which manager Paul Warne insists his side deserved three points.
Speaking to the media after a 1-1 draw at the AESSEAL New York Stadium, Warne said: “I thought, first half, we were a bit lacklustre. The pitch was a bit dry and we didn’t move the ball well but nor did they. Recently although our results haven’t been great our performances have been pretty good.
“I was a bit disappointed at half time,” said Warne. “I made a change because we didn’t have the energy I wanted. Then I thought the second half was a different game.
“All the tactical changes I did for good reasons. I started as a 4-4-2 but we couldn’t retain the ball. We went to like a three-up and that wasn’t working so I made a change at half time and brought a more attacking midfielder on and pushed Wardy out left.
“It sums our season up because we’ve been competitive in most games and then they score a worldie. If we’ve come off the pitch and we’ve lost 1-0 it’s the same old story.
“The atmosphere was a bit odd but the lads came out for the second half a bit more positive. We rallied a bit and the fans got behind them. It’s a great place to play when it’s rocking like it was in the second half.”
Danny Ward’s excellent finish on 85 minutes earned Warne’s team a point after Frei’s sublime free-kick opened the deadlock for Blues, but the Millers should have won the match in stoppage-time as Jerry Yates lashed over following a perfect flowing counter-attack.
“In fairness, they’re human beings,” continued Warne. “It would have been some goal to score late on. I’m not criticising him because I felt all subs that went on had an effect.
“We’d had a good chance with Carlton before that. Whenever we go in the staff room after, people know the situation we’re in, but the managers are always complimentary towards us saying how the lads don’t give up for us and, generally, we don’t.
“We possibly lack a little bit of quality at times but they’re a good set of lads and I enjoy working with them. I think they showed here today that, although they’re down, they haven’t downed tools. They’re giving it their all to the very end. If we’d have scored that goal at the end it would have been like we’d won the Champions League I think! That would have been a lovely end to the day.
“Obviously my job at this club, I’m well aware of what the fans want to see. It’s not dissimilar to me. I want to see attacking football.
“For them to be clapped off for a 1-1 draw so late in the season when we’re already down, is a credit to the great fans we’ve go there. The lads appreciated that and it’s reciprocal.”