Millers have bottle for battle
PAUL WARNE praised Rotherham’s mental strength after super-sub Matt Crooks’ late winner.
Crooks slotted home in the 86th minute to help the Millers to a third win of the season.
The dramatic finale ended Preston’s unbeaten away record and boss Warne said:
PL“What pleased me the most was that we were winning, then we were drawing and the lads weren’t hanging on to a point, they wanted all three.
“I am over the moon the lads have shown their mental strength to concede late on but to go back at them.”
Rotherham remain 19th, but are five points above the relegation zone. They went ahead eight minutes after the break when Michael Ihiekwe nodded a looping ball back across goal and Richard Wood volleyed home.
Preston replied when Paul Gallagher’s corner fell to Ryan Ledson, whose first-time shot went low into the corner.
Crooks emerged as the hero after being found by Florian Jozefzoon, who had picked up the ball deep in his own half and driven forward.
Jayden Stockley went close to an 88th-minute leveller, but his header came back off the post and, with seven added minutes, this was a show of character from the Millers.
Lilywhites boss Alex Neil said: “I didn’t think we played well, first and foremost.
“Having watched most of the games here from Rotherham, the game panned out exactly as I expected it to. Even if we’d have taken a point I’d have been disappointed with the performance.” ROTHERHAM: Johansson 7; Harding 6, Ihiekwe 7, Wood 7, Olosunde 6 (MacDonald 89); Wiles 7, Barlaser 6, Lindsay 6, Sadlier 7 (Jozefzoon 23, 7); Ladapo 6, Vassell 6 (Crooks 67, 7).
Unused Subs: Vickers, Hirst, Miller, Smith. PRESTON: Rudd 6; Fisher 6 (Gallagher 75, 6) Huntington 6, Storey 6, Rafferty 7; Ledson 7, Browne 6; Sinclair 6 (Barkhuizen 59, 6), Johnson 7, Potts 6; Riis Jakobsen 6 (Stockley 59, 6).
Unused Subs: Ripley, Earl, Harrop, Maguire
MAN OF THE MATCH: Richard Wood. The defender scored a striker’s volley and was part of a backline that repelled Preston late on. REFEREE: Andy Davies 7.