PELL INCIDENT PENALTY MISS
beat and I have nothing more to offer. I can’t fight back. I can’t criticise. I am proud of how the players played today.
“It was a classic away performance. In the second half we gave everything we’ve got. We tested their keeper and hit the post late on. We didn’t deserve to lose the game, but we have.”
Three opportunities in quick succession fell to Will Grigg in the first half, but the striker’s initial shot was saved by Toby Savin and then Seamus Conneely cleared the next off the line before Grigg fired over the top.
Both sides had decent openings from set-pieces with Michael Nottingham heading straight at Vickers before Michael Ihiekwe got the direction all wrong at the other end.
The game’s only bit of real quality was executed by Barlaser who volleyed beautifully beyond Savin from 25 yards after 57 minutes.
The Millers strengthened their hold on top spot and moved six points clear after they ended a run of two defeats against Stanley in both the league and cup this season.
Rotherham manager Paul Warne said on the Pell incident: “I am hugely embarrassed. It’s awful because I don’t get to talk about how good we were defending the box, how good the penalty save was or the last ditch defending was. I can only apologise on behalf of the club and I have apologised to all their staff. There is no way I can justify that.
“After the penalty, we were hanging on for dear life and those eight added minutes seemed to last forever. It’s a really good three points against a real difficult team to play against and beat.”
Winning games ugly is becoming a habit for the Millers who are now looking even stronger in their bid to make an immediate return to the Championship.
Warne added: “We have played three games in a week and got nine points. It’s not my players’ fault what happened. They can only do what they can do on the pitch and they take a lot of credit.
“It puts us in a good position. We have got 17 games left and it puts us in a good position. I am really pleased with the performance and where we are in the league.
“It is tinged with disappointment and takes some shine off the performance.
“I thought we were the better side and created the more chances. One-nil is never enough.
“It was just a really tough game and if you are going to have a successful season, there are different ways to win a football game and today we managed to find a way.”