Richie Barker talks to www.themillers.co.uk...
Rotherham United assistant manager Richie Barker says he expects a tough test against an AFC Wimbledon side he believes will be in buoyant mood following their win on the road at Northampton Town at the weekend.
The Millers travel to Kingsmeadow on Tuesday night in a week, which will see them clock up the miles on the road with a trip to Oxford United to follow on Saturday and Barker insists that any points accumulated on the road will be a big bonus on top of their impressive home form.
“Anything you get away from home is a real bonus in this league,” he told www.themillers.co.uk.
“I know people have been commenting about our away form but there aren't that many teams that have away form better than their home form, so anything you do get away from home is a real bonus.
“We are well-aware that it's going to be a tough game and a difficult place to go.
“There's obviously a lot of travelling over the next four or five days for us as well. We'll prepare in exactly the same way and we'll make sure the players are as physically and tactically prepared as they can be but we're expecting a tough one.”
The Dons’ impressive 1-0 win at Northampton Town at the weekend has not gone unnoticed by the Millers’ number two, who believes Tuesday’s hosts will be riding the crest of a wave ahead of their meeting, but insists his side will be in similar mood following another win at the weekend.
“It was a fantastic result for them away from home,” Barker continued.
“Any time you go away from home and firstly pick up a win and then keep a clean sheet is a real bonus, so I'm sure their confidence will be high.
“As is ours though, off the back of our results now.”
Barker continued to admit that the two sides are not too dissimilar in their style and is keen to see the high press philosophy, which the Millers have become associated with this season, in evidence at Kingsmeadow.
“It's a tight pitch and a team coming off the back of a positive result, so they'll be buoyant,” he continued.
“There are some similarities and they try and play. They try and play out from the goalkeeper so we're going to have to try and stop them playing and work hard and we'll have to press them high.
“In their front four players they've got a little bit on inventiveness as well, so we'll have to make sure that we're switched on defensively because they can hurt you.
“Them going away and getting a clean sheet at the weekend also suggests that they've started to secure it up at the back.
“All away games are tough and it's a long journey, a difficult place to go and a small, tight pitch so we're going to have to be at our best again.”