Paul Warne talks to www.themillers.co.uk...
Rotherham United boss Paul Warne says he is expecting another test tougher than the opposition’s league position suggests, as his side travel to face 20th placed Northampton Town at Sixfields on Saturday.
The Millers have been stung with defeat by two clubs in the drop zone in the third tier in their most recent outings, with impressive showings from Rochdale and MK Dons halting their 14 game unbeaten run, and the Rotherham United manager acknowledges that the Cobblers will set up positively this weekend.
“Every team sets up to win every week,” Warne told www.themillers.co.uk.
“We're setting up to beat Northampton but 'quelle surprise' Northampton are setting up to beat us.
“They want to win the game as much as we want to win it. They need to win it as much as we need to win it and it's all about the fine margins all the time.
“In recent weeks we've been brilliant and we've nicked those margins with last minute goals and unfortunately in the last couple of weeks we haven't taken our chances and other teams have. Fundamentally, it's on the flick of a coin at times.”
Warne continued to explain that teams near the foot of the table will be upping their game as the 2017/18 season nears it’s finale, while pressure continues to increase at the other end of the table, with clubs jostling for position in the Play-offs and above.
“I think if you're at the bottom and you're fighting, like when we played Huddersfield here in the Championship last season, they came as the big favourites, we threw everything we can at them and we nearly got something on the day,” he explained.
“I think if you're at the bottom, you're scrapping for your lives and you have that sort of spirit, so they're not easy teams to play against.
“The teams in the middle don't have the pressure as such. Sometimes they're difficult to play against. They are difficult to play against because they can play with a little bit of freedom.
“There are no easy games and I think the pressure on all of the teams at the top to keep winning keeps building and building.