Millers manager Paul Warne reflected on his side’s display following a goalless draw at AESSEAL New York Stadium.
Rotherham were held by a compact and determined Shrewsbury side, who restricted the hosts to few chances throughout the 90 minutes.
“I can’t knock my team’s effort,” said Warne. “Their effort was good, in and out of possession. It’s difficult for us in the respect that Shrewsbury came here today – and I’m not criticising them for it – they came here to stifle us really and make it really awkward for us. They got men behind the ball and did it really well.
“In games like that you need to take your chances. We had a couple of good chances first half and Carlton’s had a good chance second half. I think if you score first in these games, then they have to come at you and it’s a more equal battle. We have to be patient at home because the more frustrated you get, the more difficult it becomes and the harder it is to make a proper decision on the ball.
“We tried getting them to move the ball quicker second half. But Shrewsbury are hard to break down and the way they play made it really difficult for us. We need to get better than that, especially at home. We’ve picked more points up away from home because teams have a right go. But when teams come here at the moment, they’re pleased with a point before we kick-off.
“We didn’t really get round the outside of them today. We didn’t get a lot from our wingers and they’ve doubled up with a back five. The crosses came in from my centre-halves so it was difficult. We coaches we’ll have to help the team when we play someone who are prepared to sit back, and we’ll try and be better to break them down.”
After the 6-1 hammering of Bolton and a terrific point away at Sunderland, the Millers boss looked on the bright side of a point and a clean sheet to round off a long week.
“I’ve got a few positives, we had a good point in midweek and today is a point on a hot sunny day,” he added. “We’ve kept a clean-sheet and we were really trying to go for it. Unfortunately, it wasn’t our day.
“I thought we limited them to few opportunities. Apart from a counter-attack when we were throwing the kitchen sink at them from a corner. I said to the lads that in a 95-minute game you can’t wait for the last 15 minutes for the impetus.
“Massive credit to Shrews with the way they played. They made it difficult for us and they’ll be well pleased with the point.”