Paul Warne post-Oxford United...
Rotherham United boss Paul Warne says he was pleased to see his side emerge from their entertaining 3-3 draw at Oxford with a point, despite a stressful afternoon in the dugout.
The Millers prospects looked bleak when the hosts completed a turnaround to make it 3-1 but Warne’s side showed good spirit to rescue a point against a dangerous U’s side.
"It was a joyful and stressful day on the touchline,” he explained after the game.
“We came here to try and play good football, as did Oxford, but I don't think the conditions helped either side.
“We went 1-0 up through some good play and I was well pleased with the goal we got, and I thought that in possession we were very good today. Out of possession we weren't so good.
“They caused us problems, which we knew that they would, but we still couldn't stop them. Apart from a crazy 15 minutes in the first half where everything that could go wrong, did go wrong, aside from that I thought that the lads battle well and deserved a point.”
Joe Newell opened the scoring to put his side in front with his second goal in as many games but the hosts found themselves with a two goal cushion in the build up to half time.
Ryan Williams notched against his former club just before the break to half the deficit with Warne admitting that the spell which saw his side fall behind left him disappointed.
"I felt during it (the bad spell) that we just needed to get to half-time,” he continued.
“It was a little like damage limitation. When we got to half-time we told them what we thought quite obviously.
“My disappointment was that when we conceded the third goal the lads didn't look like they would get back in it. Their heads dropped a little which was disappointing.
“So I addressed that at half-time you have to believe that you are still in it. To get that goal just before half-time gave us a boost and then I thought we would get another before the break.
In a game of goalmouth action at both ends, Marek Rodak saved a first half penalty before Kieffer Moore had a second half effort ruled out for a foul and Warne praised his side for their spirit to come from behind and record their first draw in the league of 2017/18.
"There's loads of turning points in the game and I don't know if the ball hit his [Will Vaulks] arm or not for the penalty but he wasn't too far away.
“Our disallowed goal was disappointing and I've watched it back and I don't see one Oxford player appeal for it.
“Kieffer hits the crossbar and away from home after the disappointment of Tuesday night, not to lose back-to-back games was crucial for us and we've talked about that all summer.
“I'm really pleased with the fight that the lads gave in the second half and there were some really pleasing performances.
“At 3-1 at half time it might have been a different conversation that we'd had but we might have come out in the first minute of the second half, scored and it swings again.
“I thought at 3-3 we had a few free kicks and I thought we put loads of good balls in today. We worked on trying to get Kieffer in on the far stick but they all seemed just to be a millimetre too high.”